


All or None

by FreckledSkittles



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Future, Angst, Astrology, Discrimination, Drama, Enemies to Friends, Explicit Language, F/F, F/M, Flashbacks, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Romance, Secrets, Segregation, Slow Build, Zodiac AU, but not for the main twelve, friendship is important, got a secret can you keep it, i'm so funny oh god, kinda college, oh my god there's so much drama, problematic faves, ymir's in this story so
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-25
Updated: 2016-08-13
Packaged: 2018-05-29 01:05:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 163,279
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6352762
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FreckledSkittles/pseuds/FreckledSkittles
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Society is segregated by Zodiac signs. The date birth of an individual separates them from one another. Tattoos of each sign's symbol determines visual confirmation of who is safe to talk to. It is a system that has been enriched in the people by the government since the Constitution was first instituted, and has carried on into modern day.</p>
<p>Armin wants to change this. And he'll be damned if he's going to do it alone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Typicality

**Author's Note:**

> I AM SO EXCITED FOR THIS STORY HELLO.
> 
> I know it's Easter, but I can't wait a week to post this story, so I'm doing it now and I'm super excited for it. I got this idea back when I still wrote for Hetalia a couple years ago, but it didn't get anywhere, so when I started writing for the SNK fandom, everything blew up and then this problematic AU was born.
> 
> Also you don't have to be big into the signs to read this I guess (I mean it's totally up to you still but you get my drift). And as much as I enjoy it, I don't rely on them to an extreme point. I just think they're interesting and fun and it's like a fact about yourself you can put out there like "hey look at me I'm cool what about you" and stuff like that.
> 
> But yeet. I hope you enjoy the fic!

_Despite the heat and the growing ache that came with running as if their lives depended on moving as fast as they could, it was done for their safety and wellbeing. Through the towering trunks and leaning branches, they headed for what they hoped was safe. There was no possible way of knowing if the path they were taking would result in their survival. It was terrifying to think about, and yet they couldn’t force their feet to move faster. It was vital that they moved with haste in order to make it to the next day. The sound of dogs barking and voices shouting commands seemed to be getting closer with each stomp of their legs against the leaf-covered ground._

_There was a small clearing that divided the forest from a stretch of farmland by a chainlink fence, and it was here that one of the runners stopped. She gripped the holes of the fence as she ran into it, gasping at the rough hit to her chest, and then pushed off it. A glance beside her, and the silence that followed, informed her of how alone she now was. With a worried chill down her spine, she gently and quietly searched the trees and darkness she had just come from. Despite the sun beating down on her, she remained in the light, even as the sun rays touched down on her shoulders and scalded the searing tattoo of a crimson arrow on her right. It already stung from last week’s attempt to remove it, but the faint outline that remained was a reminder of what had once been there._

_The girl whistled softly despite how poor it sounded, a type of communication to her companions without words. She wished for a similar response—didn’t they talk about this once?—but there was nothing or no one to reply to her. It was bad enough she never learned how to properly whistle. But she tried again nonetheless: a little louder, a little more desperate, a little more hope that she wasn’t alone—_

Don’t think those thoughts, Petra, _she scolded herself internally._ Think positive.

_She turned back to the fence and started to dig underneath it, looking at first for a separation between ground and steel. And when she found it, she nearly cried out in joy. Her hands unearthed twigs and leaves and what she hoped was mud so she could clear a path to crawl under. Once she did, she grasped the bottom of the fence and started to tug it up. Her actions were halted, however, when a coarse hand grabbed her shoulder and pulled her up. A scream was lodged in her throat and came out as a sharp gasp, but it was released once she saw who had her, especially when she noticed the nearly foot-tall difference in height._

_“Don’t scare me like that,” Petra frowned. Her friend had yet to release her, so she tore his hand away and continued with her work. He knelt down beside her and said nothing, dark chocolate eyes focused on the forest behind them. There was a stray leaf in his usually swept-back hair, now scraggly and full of the ground’s treasures. A thin scratch went directly parallel to his left eye, and another could faintly be seen on his neck, but it didn’t seem to faze him._

_“What are you doing?” He finally asked, his voice strained and lower in volume than usual._

_“Trying to save our asses.” She strained to lift the fence up, and when he reached over to help, he pulled back with a hiss. “Don’t overdo it. Better yet, don’t do_ **_anything_ ** _for right now.”_

_He grimaced, wiggling his fingers, and gazed at his palm. There was a faded yet still present mark of his own tattoo, a circle with a curved tail going upwards. Due to its position, it was more prominent and more sensitive than hers could ever be. Barely any of it had come off, unlike hers, due to the pain it triggered. “I’ll try not to. Have you seen—”_

_Petra didn’t waste a beat in working to create an escape so she could shoot him a glower. “If I did, Gunther, I would have already said something about it. He hasn’t shown up.” Petra halted to wipe her hands of rust and to ease any forming blisters. “Besides, Auruo’s still out there too.”_

_Gunther rolled his eyes, an action that was uncommon coming from him. “I was referring to both of them. Not just Eld.”_

_Petra forced him to look at her, and she managed as much of a reassuring smile as she could. “They’re going to find us. They wouldn’t go down without a fight, and they certainly wouldn’t do it unless we were with them.”_

_As if on cue, a shorter male, in between their heights, stumbled to the scene, out of breath. A light trail of blood leaked from his mouth, but he wiped it away with a swipe of his hand. Petra and Gunther turned to him, and the female leapt to her feet almost immediately. She started for him, but halted, reminding herself with a small glance back that they were still short one member. It wasn’t time to celebrate just yet._

_“You’re safe,” she finally decided, and smiled at the newcomer. He managed one back, as weak as it was, and chuckled._

_“These guys are tough,” he shrugged, “but they can’t take us down that easily.”_

_“You fought them?” Gunther inquired, eyes wide in shock._

_“Yeah, but it wasn’t anything I couldn’t handle.” Petra rolled her eyes with a scoff, and the taller male sighed. “What, you think I’m kidding?”_

_“It wouldn’t be a surprise if you bit your tongue while running,” she pointed out, “but I’ll believe whatever you want us to believe.”_

_“You think I’m lying, don’t you, Ral?”_

_“Can you guys joke around later and start moving?” Gunther interrupted.  “I’m going to wait for Eld. You and Auruo get past the gate.”_

_“You’re crazy if you think we’d do that,” Petra crossed her arms defiantly. “Who do you think we are?” She noticed Auruo glance over briefly at the gate, as if to calculate the space made. “We’re gonna stay and wait with you, no matter how long it takes.”_

_The dogs barking had quieted down momentarily, right before Auruo had appeared, but it picked back up at the same time a ruffling of leaves headed towards them. Petra froze in place, eyes locked forward, but she forced herself to move and grabbed Auruo. She tried to clutch onto Gunther to pull him with her, but he turned away and towards the source of the noise._

_“Gunther, no!”_

_Another familiar face stumbled out of the forest, thankfully recognizable even with the falling blond strands of hair. Gunther was able to catch him before he fell, but the duo still struggled to catch their balance. The newcomer gazed up at the body he had run into, a mixture of wonder and bewilderment, and pulled him forward into a hug. The dark-haired male returned it, the tenseness in his shoulders dissipating._

_“Thank God,” the blond whispered. “I thought they caught you.”_

_“You look terrible,” Gunther frowned in worry. One hand reached up to push back the loose tussles of hair. “What were you even doing, fighting a pack of bears?”_

_“Something like that.” He shrugged and offered a teasing grin. “As long as it means you’re safe, it was worth it.”_

_“Come on, lovebirds!” Auruo snapped as he and Petra struggled to widen up the fence. “We don’t have all day to gawk!”_

_“What a way to welcome a friend back from his near-death experience,” the blond snorted as he and Gunther_

_“Welcome back, Eld, I missed you_ **_so_ ** _much. Now let’s get out of here.”_

_Together, the four bodies were able to adjust the size of the gap by tugging upwards on it and tilting it towards them. Once it was a reasonable size, they clambered through it by height: Petra first, being the smallest, and Auruo soon after. As soon as she was standing and he was by her, she embraced him, barely reaching his shoulder, and tucked her head beneath his chin. A chuckle rang deep in his chest as he pulled her closer to him, just as tight and ladened with worry. “You missed me that much?”_

_“Shut up,” she grumbled, relieved to hear and see that he was alright, they were alright, their friends were alright and no one was harmed. They were going to get away from this mess once and for all. “I was worried sick I wouldn’t see you again.”_

_“I’d say a Capricorn’s the all-terrain vehicle of the Zodiac, but…,” his pause caused him to glance down at her in concern, “I’m not sure how well you would take it right now.”_

_“Horribly.” As much as she preferred to keep up a sunny disposition, as soon as her mind turned to_ **_that_ ** _, to put it in simple terms, her blood boiled and her body tensed. There was no room for that type of behavior in a proximity to her. Petra didn’t pull away from Auruo, but her hands tightened in his shirt with a frown. “I’m glad you didn’t mention it until now.”_

_Thankfully a distraction but in unfortunate circumstances, there was a scream and a shout for help. Gunther was halfway over, legs still beneath the gate as he struggled to pull Eld between them and over to the other side. Said man was struggling to sit up and pull his ankle free from the dog that gripped it between sharp canines. Each movement, no matter how big it turned out to be, resulted in a grunt in displeasure and a cry of pain. Auruo was beside them in a blink and helping pull the other through, but when the gunshots shattered their ears and the shout followed after the second, he almost lost it for the second time that day._

_“PETRA!”_

 

Chapter 1: Typicality

 

“We have some breaking news to cover that concerns all citizens. Legislators have announced just seconds ago that today is the lift of the ban that has prevented signs of similar elements from any type of interaction. President Zackley released a statement with a claim that the five-year ban known as the Four Elements Act has been drawn out to its fullest potential, and that it’s time for that chapter of our country to come to an end.”

“Mikasa, give me the phone.”

* * *

“The law was put into place in 2016 when a group of students at Mitras University, now a part of Rose University in upstate New York, concerned by a lack of communication between signs, organized and participated in a series of riots that nearly brought down the city. An anonymous advisor of President Zackley’s stated, at the time, that their goal was to bring attention to the laws of astrological segregation and to prevent no further discrimination between the twelve signs, but the attempt failed, and in retaliation, the Four Elements Act was enforced.”

“Bertolt—”

“I heard. Are you calling him?”

“Which number? Has it changed?”

* * *

“There was never a given deadline on the law, and people for years have struggled to determine when it will be over. Now, that time has come, and it is no longer a concern among the people.”

“Pff. Concern my ass.”

“Locations affected by the legislation include goods and services, schools, homes, and even birth rates. At least a hundred thousand children have been abandoned or given up for adoption due to the laws represented in the Four Elements Act, including several accounts of infanticide because of the difference in signs from their parents. Universities and colleges were exempt from this ruling, but classes were further segregated to avoid any contact.”

“Stop that, I’m trying to listen to the news.”

“Mm. News is boring.”

“Have you even listened to what’s going on?”

“Not really. Come back to bed, Jean. Kiss me.”

“Tch; this morning wasn’t enough for you?”

“What do you think, asshole?”

“Hmph. Why should I go back to bed when I can just start here?”

“That’s more like it.”

* * *

“Now, President Zackley has repealed the Four Elements Act, with quote, ’It has been in effect for too long, and it is time this country started moving forward for all citizens. The laws that separate individuals based on their sign are outdated, and after the strides this country has taken, it will not be long before astrological segregation is eradicated next.’ The question that we’re all wondering is: how much further is Zackley willing to go? We have an incoming live report from one of his advisors, Nile Dok—”

“Ugh, turn the TV off, Mika. That guy’s an asshole. I don’t see how he landed a government job in the first place.”

“ _Ymir?_ ”

“Marco, thank fuck—are you okay?”

“ _No, yeah, I-I’m fine. Are you?_ ”

* * *

With the lift of the Four Elements Act and no restrictions to communication with signs of the same element, the people were (almost) free to talk to who they liked. They were still going to be questioned and brought into police custody for talking to those with different signs and elements before they were shipped away to an unknown and eventually forgotten location. The best way to avoid this was through the use of their tattoos, which bore the sign’s symbol in a designated location on the body. Some were more visible than others, such as the Capricorn insignia on the neck or the curves of the blue Pisces symbol on the left palm. Though some were easier to hide, including the icy blue of a Gemini’s tattoo emblazoned on their upper backs or the crimson arrow marked on the shoulders of a Sagittarius. Every individual sixteen or older had them, and appointments were practically made from birth. It had become a rite of passage for an individual; once they had their tattoo, they were permanently labeled for life.

Armin had always found the tattoos to be silly, and nothing less of a branding that was an unnecessary process of paranoia. It was what they had evolved from, after all, and he wouldn’t go so far as to suggest that that style of marking was still around by “old-fashioned” thinkers. Thankfully, his grandfather used to make fun of them and didn’t ever oppose the use of makeup to cover his up. The skin-colored, lotion-like material was easy to apply and it never took long to do. Of course, he couldn’t do this when it was warmer outside due to certain laws set in place, but thankfully the January weather required him to bundle up in extra layers. At least in the privacy of his own home, he could rub on a few droplets of concealer on it to hide it from his eyes.

For him, it almost succeeded in hiding the discrimination and segregation he and the rest of society had to endure. It almost shied away the fact that the world was still structed on a biased philosophy, where a Scorpio like himself could be judged for the placement of his date of birth and not his character.

The news report that morning on the lift of the Four Elements Act not only set up a positive mood for Armin for the rest of the day, but also cleared him for what he had been planning since the law was set in motion. In his own private celebration, and with an hour to spare before class, he headed down to the local cafe on campus called Twelve Drummers. Graduate school for a masters of arts in government had managed to keep his mind running on a daily basis. Plus, he had important things to take care of, things that involved who he was to a point and would be vital in his future.

Twelve Drummers wasn’t far from the series of apartments set aside for grad students, but unlike some establishments, it wasn’t excluded from any one type of person. Everyone was welcomed, even if there was a cashier for each element to order at. The first floor stretched out far, with sweets and delights on the left and brown tabletop seating to the right and back of the building. Upstairs provided more room and also easier study access. It overlooked the floor below and only covered half of it, but it was still quieter than the place below.

Armin shivered at the warmth and smells that hit him as he walked in, and he ordered a coffee and a bagel with a smile. The cashier, grinning in recognition, hurried off to prepare it for him; despite being the only new customer with an order, not a single other worker glanced at him. Though it was a relief to have signs with like elements interact with one another and not struggle to hold it back, differing signs were often dismissive to who was not like them. It made him wonder just how many people were willing to go that extra step and talk to others outside of the elemental and astrological boundaries put up by the government. And that in turn reminded him of the individuals who had unintentionally enforced the Four Element Act upon them, who changed the lives of the entire country. He wondered if there was more to the riot than what the news had told them, but he never had the chance to go fully behind the scenes.

When he received his order, Armin headed to an empty table on the first floor and set his breakfast down. He pulled out and powered up his laptop to proceed with the plan he had in mind. For years, he had struggled with the laws set in place that separated him from everyone else. From the blue tattoo on the inside of his right forearm to the segregation of nearly every public location or goods and service he had to travel several miles to and from to access, it was never easy for him or anyone else. There were complaints, as secret and as quiet as they had been, and he wanted to expose it. He wanted to give his world a chance to accept others and to become a better society. And if no one was willing to stand up to the plate, he didn’t have a problem initiating it.

From a nearby table, not too far from where he was, there were five students bickering at one another. Two of them were Leos, from the red branding on the insides of their right hands, and the other three were Aries as shown by the symbol on their right wrists. He wasn’t sure what the start of the argument had been, but he found himself listening in on it as his laptop rebooted.

“Pull your heads out of your asses for once in your lives and see what’s around you,” one of the Arians snapped. His tone was harsh yet there was something about his voice that was entrancing, a hidden determination and a drive that Armin had never heard before. And his eyes reflected just that—twin teal orbs, burning with desire and the urge to do. “There’s a whole lot more to this world than yourselves. You’re all so narcissistic, your heads can barely stay upright.” 

“We don’t just care about ourselves!” The female Leo snapped, her hands flying down to slam against the table, her right one only using her fingers. “Stop assuming that we do!”

“Then don’t project that idea,” the other female across the table sneered. “The more you act like that, the more people will assume that that’s who you are.”

“That’s such a load of bullshit,” the second Leo scoffed.

She dusted back a strand of blonde hair from her eyes to glower at him. “Try me.”

“Okay—you three are the most impulsive, hotheaded, tantrum-throwing children who fit your sign’s stereotype.”

“ _And_ ,” the second female added, “you’re barely able to contain stable, long lasting relationships, unlike us.”

Despite the high-five she and her partner shared, the third Arian, who hadn’t talked yet, nearly jumped over the table to lunge at the duo across from him. He was taller than the other two, his face long and the top of his hair lighter than what was underneath peeking out from a green beanie. He was held back by his just-as-angry associates, the green-eyed male trying to calm him past his own veil of fury. “You take that back, you shits!” He shouted.

Armin, past a sip of his coffee, focused his gaze somewhere else when the blonde Aries turned to him, as if sensing his stare. He logged onto his computer with flying fingers, and, as the ~~conversation~~ argument continued, he couldn’t help but steal a glance up again. He noticed someone else watching the event on the other side of the fire signs. Although he couldn’t tell what sign he was, he knew it wasn’t fire by the way he sat quietly and observed the five with intrigue. There was a cluster of freckles predominant on his cheeks and across his nose, and he caressed his own drink in his hand as if it was his only reminder of reality. When he noticed, with bright hazelnut eyes, the Scorpio staring at him and made eye contact, Armin shot him a warm smile, as if in mutual amusement at the argument. But his eyes only widened and his grip on the cup tightened, and he roughly turned away.

Hopefully, there would be a time where that wouldn’t have to happen because of the difference in signs.

* * *

Connie Springer was an interesting character, both for a Taurus and when disregarding his astrological sign. When he was ten, he stuck a piece of gum in his hair for ‘safekeeping’ and had to have it shaved down to a buzzcut. Despite his dislike for change, he became accustomed to the hairstyle and decided to keep it that way. Math was simple for him to comprehend, and he liked to punch out science equations that would make historians sick from how much there was to calculate. He had a nasty habit of wearing basketball shorts and hoodies in any type of weather, but complained if it was too cold or too hot. His height was easily mocked, after he stopped growing in seventh grade, but he kept his head held high, even if it was shaky.

But something he was both credited and praised for was his loyalty and friendship. At first approach, he was considered shy to any and all outsiders. Once he opened up (as much as a Taurus could), however, he was an entertaining and easily lovable character that both Historia and Bertolt couldn’t help but be drawn to. They had only known each other as friends for a few years when the Four Elements Act was put into place, but they kept in contact through letters and, once they discovered they attended the same graduate school, Post-It notes on doors. The raising of the law was a joyful relief that they didn’t have to hide to communicate any longer.

The Taurean hurried up the stairs to Twelve Drummers’ upper level, brown bag in hand that displayed the logo of the cafe. This specific seating area had more tables and chairs for individuals to do work from school or to take a breather from the stresses of everyday life. But for him, it was the meeting place of two dear friends whose friendship he had built mostly on little notes stuck on doors and letters with pseudonyms. Their high school years had contained some passing of the halls, and the middle of their junior year saw them become friends. But once the Four Elements Act prevented their conversing right as junior year ended, sending letters with fake aliases was the next best thing for them to do.

“Connie!”

Historia was contradictory to her personality and outer appearance. Her long blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes made her an “object of desire” to those who were interested in her type. She was terribly short, shorter than him, and moved with an underlying natural grace. However, she was much sharper and curt than she came off as. She was kind, and she was friendly, and her voice was as sweet as honey, but she reserved those moments for those who earned it, which at the moment only included two others.

She had caught sight of him first and jumped up from her seat to hug him. Connie, grinning wide, wrapped his arms around her and lifted her off the ground in joy. Her laughter rang out around the restaurant, and she slid back down onto two feet. “Just as I suspected,” she grinned. “You haven’t changed a bit, ‘Sonny’.”

“Same for you, ‘Krista’,” he teased, referencing her alias in return. “You almost convinced me that she was real.”

“Looks like I’ll have to try harder next time.” She led him to the table she shared with her Capricorn companion and roommate, and tapped his shoulder lightly. Bertolt looked up and, upon seeing the familiar Taurus, tugged out his headphones and stood to greet him.

“Hey, Connie, it’s great to see you,” he smiled. Unlike both of them, his height had certainly skyrocketed since their last meeting. He had been tall to begin with, but there was a definite difference in a few feet. Despite his height, however, Bertolt was a gentle (or even anxious) giant who worked himself too hard and too much. Connie used to say that his shoulders were going to stay hunched and tense forever just to get him riled up about it before Historia had to explain that it was just a joke.

“You’re a lot farther up from what I remember,” Connie laughed but embraced his friend regardless and received the same in return. “Great to see you too!”

“How exciting is this?” Historia sighed with a warm smile as the trio sat down. Almost instantly, Connie was digging into his bag of food. “Us finally getting to talk without using those silly names?”

“And not having to word everything carefully so that the censors wouldn’t catch us,” Bertolt added past his Styrofoam cup. “I had to rewrite mine at least three times to make it sound different.”

“At least they were typed,” the Taurean pointed out, and pulled out a muffin from the bag with a satisfied grin. “We would have been royally fucked if we had to write them out.”

“You think they suspected anything strange, though?” The blonde wondered.

Connie shrugged, speaking behind a mouthful of food, “Maybe. Depends on how many people send typed letters to their friends.” 

“We didn’t get caught, at least,” the taller Capricorn pointed out. “That has to count for something, right?”

Historia, previously leaning forward on her elbows, sat up with a sigh and tore off a piece of her croissant. “I guess. I think part of me just wishes that they had caught us, so we could do something about it.”

Connie nearly choked on the muffin, his eyes wide. “Are you kidding?! Do you even know what they would do to us?”

“It would have been for a good cause, though. Bertolt and I were talking about this, and we both agreed that…” she glanced over her shoulder, and leaned towards him, “we both agreed that the government doesn’t have the right to segregate us and brand us with tattoos—”

“Are you saying you wanna rebel?” He whispered harshly, his muffin now completely forgotten.

“It was just a thought, Connie,” Bertolt frowned. “You think we’d be dumb enough to do that? It’s nothing to get upset over.”

“I’m not upset!”

“Your tone seems very pointed right now,” Historia remarked.

“We aren’t going to try anything that can get us in trouble,” the dark-haired male added. “You know us, Con. We’d only go into something like this if we knew what we were doing.”

“Exactly; we don’t do things on an impulse. If we do it, it’s because we know what we’re doing.”

Connie huffed, scrunching his shoulders so that he hid in his hoodie. “Whatever.” He glanced over at the two of them, sitting side by side, the tattoo on the left side of their necks more prominent than ever before. A bubble of guilt formed in his chest, though he bit it back and swallowed it with a bite of the breakfast sandwich he hurriedly tugged out of his bag. He had hated being separated from the duo just as much as they had from him, and he knew it showed. But he also knew that change was something so scary to him, it would take a lot in order to convince him to go along with what was outside of the norm. He was as stubborn as they could be, and he knew if they were going to stick to an ideal, like the thought of rebellion, he would stick to his and refused to be pushed to change.

* * *

 _Slam._ “Hey, asswipe, it’s good to see you waiting like a good lapdog!” 

There had been times, before they were separated by the Four Elements Act, when Marco would simply look at his cousin and regret ever knowing her. She was unpredictable and didn’t like to listen to anyone that wasn’t herself. When they were kids, he used to chide her on misbehaving but only ended up with a shove in the sandbox and a whack on the head. It hadn’t gotten better as they grew older, even when Mikasa was adopted into Ymir’s family and brought a calm presence wherever she went. And as they got older, it only grew worse when Ymir learned the “art of manipulation,” as she had dubbed it. She was a terrible influence, sneaking out at night to go to parties and often pulling him with her, because he could only trust himself to keep her alive. And if it wasn’t a party, it was somewhere abandoned or closed off to cause mischief. Ymir was a gear, constantly shifting and never stopping, no matter how hard the lever was pulled. Saying “no” only gave her more of a reason to do what she wanted and prove a point.

And when the Four Elements Act prevented them from interacting, she being an Aquarius and he a Gemini, Ymir was just as relentless as she always was. She called him, texted him, sent him gifts for his birthday and on holidays. Eventually, the calls and texts stopped, but the gifts became a constant expectation. Marco never responded or did the same in return, and he knew she would have long forgotten about him for that if he was anyone else. But he was her cousin, the one person who had managed to put up with her when no one else did, and he knew that she couldn’t let him go that easily.

Mikasa had gotten in the small line to get food as Marco jumped up and tugged his cousin into a hug. She squirmed only a little bit but returned it nonetheless, causing him to laugh in relief. Five years without her, even if she made it one-sided, was still difficult for him to endure. “It’s good to see you too, Miri.”

“Okay, okay, not in public,” she scowled with a shove on his shoulder that forced them apart. “Just because the government said you can talk to me again doesn’t mean you can be all gooey with me. Speaking of which—” She slapped his cheek with a glare and a huff, barely giving him time to react. “If you ever ignore me for five years again, I’m going to kick your ass all the way back to the homeland.”

Marco caressed his cheek and frowned at her. Though it wasn’t much of a shock to see her agitated, the hit had come as a surprise. The eyes of the three Arians a few tables down were on them, and his cheeks flared with embarrassment. “What are you mad about?” He asked in a quiet voice.

Ymir cackled, a devious glint in her eyes that told him she was about to unleash a rage of emotions on him. And in public, no less. “Don’t play dumb with me, sweetie pie. You know _exactly_ why I’m mad!”

He gripped her wrist with his free hand and forced her to sit down in the booth beside him. “Stop yelling, you’re making a scene!”

“It’s your fault for ditching me after all those years!” She crossed her arms and huffed. “You’re such a jackass. I spent a hundred bucks for those Jesus sandals you were obsessing over—”

“They’re Chaco’s, and I really did enjoy them.”

“Good, because I want them back.”

“You can’t have them back! You gave them to me!”

“Then I want a refund!”

“You’re insane!”

“I know, because I care about you and I haven’t been able to do anything about it for five and a half years! You have no idea how hard it is to be separated from someone when they go through hell and you can’t be with them!” She turned back around to give him the cold shoulder, probably because she knew she was treading on thin ice. She sent a threatening glare to the observing trio of fire signs, who quickly looked away once she turned to them. “What’s their issue?”

Marco ignored her question and leaned closer to her. “Don’t talk about that here,” he warned, ducking away from the hit with her elbow she almost landed in his nose. “I mean it, Ymir.”

“Are you taking care of it?” She asked, her interest genuinely peaked. There was the faintest touches of concern in her eyes, and it sent a sick wave of nausea and regret over him. As annoying and reckless as she could be, she still cared about his wellbeing, more than she liked to admit.

“They’re out of your favorite donut right now, and it’ll take twenty minutes before it’s ready, so I got you a poppyseed bagel instead,” Mikasa stated as she returned, breaking the tense atmosphere as she plopped down in the seat across from them, legs crossed. A square-shaped buzzer was in her hand that would buzz when her order was ready.

“Ugh, because that makes up a difference,” the freckled brunette grumbled. The Gemini leaned back, relieved that the subject was dropped.

“You’re welcome.” Mikasa’s gaze flickered to Marco, and she nodded in greeting. “Good to see you again, Marco.”

“You too, Mikasa,” he smiled. Ymir, beside him, struggled to take off her coat, purposely whacking him a few times in the face as she wiggled her arms out of the sleeves, but he chose to ignore it as best he could. “How are things?”

She shrugged, seemingly unfazed by her roommate’s antics. “Fine.”

“She got a full ride to Shiganshina,” Ymir pointed out as she finally tore off the offending jacket and tossed it over her cousin’s head. He took it off and shoved it back to her with a glower. “How do you think she is?”

“I don’t know, I haven’t talked to her at all,” Marco said.

“But you _could_ have.”

“Ymir—”

“Hey, I’m just saying. You’re a fucking kiss-ass, Marco, especially when it comes to the government. Those white-washed hetero bureaucrats could tell you to stop shitting from your anus, and you would find a way to do it.”

“That’s disgusting and not true.”

“Shiganshina was fine,” Mikasa answered the previously-forgotten question, drawing the attention to her. “I’m hoping to get my Masters in global studies and look into getting a job at our UN.”

Taking the chance of a subject chance, the Gemini smiled at the news. “That’s great!” He recalled her fascination with the different cultures of nations in their early high school years, and she took an active role in building up its first mock United Nations. From what he heard from back home, the program was still going strong, and the teachers didn’t stop mentioning her.

“Mhm. Are you still getting a doctorate in history?”

At the question, Marco blushed and laughed nervously, fiddling with the cup of tea he had been drinking from earlier. If there was one thing he could confidently say he adored without any repercussions, history was it. “Y-yeah, I am. Jinae really helped me figure out what I wanted to do with my life.”

“And that’s reading through old shit that no one but your people will care about,” Ymir scoffed. “Really eventful.”

“Stop it, Ymir!”

The square began to buzz on the tabletop, but the taller Aquarian scooped it up in her hands before Mikasa could get it. She watched her roommate go off for a moment before she faced Marco once again. Something in her demeanor had changed; her eyebrows were furrowed down, and her gray eyes were a thunderstorm of steel that could only bring bad news.

“She got involved in a riot, you know.”

The Gemini sighed and leaned his head into his hand. “Of course she did. She can’t stay in one place for too long or else her head will explode.”

“She wants to desegregate the signs.”

That was new. He sat up straight, shifting from the strain. “Wh-what?”

Mikasa’s voice stayed at a lower volume and with perfect emotional control, a complete opposite from the anxiety that was flowing through the male across from her. “She said it was for her major, but last I checked, political science doesn’t including ‘hosting a riot’ as one of its requirements for a degree.” Marco’s breath came in curt pants, one hand splayed against his chest. “Don’t panic. She hasn’t gotten into serious trouble yet. And the riot wasn’t even geared towards desegregation.”

“Yeah, okay, but that still doesn’t mean that she–I mean, she can’t really be—”

“Marco, you’re hyperventilating.”

“I-I’m not—” He leaned forward, hands shaking as they grasped at his cup and took a trembling sip. “I’m fine.” His voice cracked and his palms were clammy; even he didn’t believe his lie. There had once been a time where he had wanted the same thing, the one thing he was able to stand by her side through and support her with, because he wanted it too. But he had gone too far, and he paid for it, and the last thing he wanted was to see Ymir go through the same pain he had had to endure.

Mikasa didn’t seem convinced either; she raised an eyebrow in questioning. “You sound shaky, and your face is pale.”

“I just… She really doesn’t have to do this.”

“I know you’re afraid of what can happen to her, but she’s more motivated ever since…” She gestured to her back, and Marco winced. At least she didn’t say it out loud.

“I-I know she is. She told me herself in her voicemails.”

“Did you know your mother helped her a lot? I don’t think Ymir would be so confident about what she was doing if it wasn’t for her.”

Marco’s expression softened at that, and he bowed his head. After the death of Ymir’s mother when they were thirteen, his mother had stepped in for her brother’s daughter as a mother-like figure. It worked out well for Ymir, especially when the Four Elements Act separated their family. Marco may have been born as a Gemini, but unlike traditional families, only his father shared the same sign. His mother was an Aquarius, and when the five-year law was passed that segregated all signs from one another, she was forced to separate from her family but was provided with a better chance to support Ymir. And even if he hadn’t been an adult at the time, it was still hard to go through his final year of high school with only half of his parents’ support.

“She almost wrote to you too, you know. But she said you wouldn’t respond, so she wasn’t going to waste her time. Ymir pretended to do the same thing.”

“She went behind her back?”

“No one tells Ymir ‘no’. But it wasn’t like it was a big secret.”

The freckled female returned with two trays of food, humming quietly with glee as she placed one in front of Mikasa. “I just saw the cutest girl walk by,” she sighed.

“Blonde?” The shorter Aquarius inquired as she smeared butter on her bagel.

“You know me. And she was so tiny, Mik; I bet she could fit right under my chin.” Ymir leaned back against the booth cushion with a dreamy look on her face, as if she had been struck by Cupid’s arrow. “She was a goddess.”

“Why didn’t you talk to her?”

“Capricorn.”

“Ah.”

“You gonna finish your food, Marc?”

Marco’s mind had been buzzing with the new information he had received, bringing him out of reality momentarily to ponder on this. His mother Leia had always said that Aquarians loved a chase, and trouble running away from them only spurred them on. She had fallen in love with Gregory Bodt not only because of his personality, but because society still allowed only same signs to marry. A Gemini and Aquarius, though both air, could marry, but it was not legally supported, even when they had Marco and pleaded with the courts. And now Ymir was causing trouble, like she always did, because she wanted to stir the pot. She enjoyed it for whatever reason, especially when society looked down on it. In fact, the more it was despised, the better. He wouldn’t be totally surprised if she somehow managed to get that Capricorn’s number.

“You can have it,” he stated, passing his food over to her without a second glance. If she wanted to wreak havoc on a majority of unwilling citizens, so be it. He only hoped she would accept the fact that he wouldn’t be joining her this time.


	2. When Scorpios Scheme

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Armin has doomed eleven people into possibly arrest, but receives only two for support. There is no way it can go further.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love JeanEren, and I wanted this fic to have at least one couple dating with the same signs, and thankfully JeanEren was there to seal the deal! But there will be Eremin and JeanMarco, I promise. We'll get there in due time. ;)
> 
> I'm half asleep and rushing to get out the door so I'm just going to post this and hope that nothing bad happens. Voila!

_Erwin Smith was six years old when he first learned about the effects of astrological segregation._

_It wasn’t a surprise, when he thought about it in his later years, that he had been exposed to it early on. His mother was never around, and the explanations his father provided were suspicious enough. And it certainly didn’t help that he didn’t even share a sign with his father, who was an Aquarius, which kept him from a proper understanding on the borders set up by society. After all, he figured, if his parents couldn’t stop him, who would be able to?_

_They weren’t very rich, and his father spent most of his time at the university where he worked, so Erwin was put in a daycare system. At the time, no one thought much about the mingling of children under the age of seven. And even then, it was the duty of the individual states to decide what became of the children, and at such a young age as well._

_There was a little girl playing all on her own, situating building blocks in big circles and then having stuffed dinosaurs knock them down. Erwin sat beside her and played along with her, forced to follow her rules of her game. The young girl was clearly excited to have someone to play with, as told by her excited giggling that bounced out of him like bubbles. Apparently, she had scared off all the other kids for being too rough, so she had no choice but to play by herself._

_“My name is Hanji,” she introduced herself politely, and held out her hand for him to shake. Her palm was sticky against his._

_“I’m Erwin,” he replied back._

_“It sounds like earwig!” Hanji giggled, and then she leaned close to his ear. Her breath smelled like cotton candy. “Wanna see a real one?”_

_Although the teachers had to calm everyone down when the bug fell on the ground and scurried out the room, and Hanji had to sit in a time-out for a while, Erwin still enjoyed himself until the end of the day. It wasn’t until his father picked him up that he found out that something had gone wrong._

_“Tomorrow, you’ll come to work with me, Erwin,” he instructed as they walked home. “I’ll find you a new daycare.”_

_“What’s wrong with the other one?” He asked, but he never received an answer. He had done something wrong, he understood that much, but he didn’t know what. At such a young age, he couldn’t comprehend it, even though he tried._

_When he was eleven, Erwin wrote a paragraph for homework that discussed a topic that was forbidden from being taught in class. Already, he had been labeled as an instigator for rebelling in classrooms or as a bad influence on the other kids, but once he had a pen, the words he was able to get out were extraordinary and beyond anyone his age could come up with. His friend, the same girl who had pulled out an earwig from her pocket five years ago, was no better than he, a disruptive thing with braces and overalls. She shared a lot of the thoughts Erwin had, because nothing sounded better than the words that came out of his mouth._

_“Let’s write about being friends with different signs,” Hanji encouraged. Erwin had already thought about it before, but he was glad that she agreed with him. They geared their assignment towards one another and the friendship they had, with an emphasis on their differing signs that no one had asked for or expected. The paper, as most everything else did, did not sit well with his father, and when he came home from school one day, his father was waiting for him._

_“Erwin, what did you write about in class today?”_

_Erwin blinked in acknowledgement but only shrugged at the posed question._

_“Are you friends with a Virgo?”_

_“Yes,” he answered. He almost got past the man if it weren’t for the hand on his shoulder that stopped him from moving_

_“Erwin, you must be careful. Society has been misguided in believing that segregating by astrological terms is acceptable behavior; we both know this. But the world will not be cruel to anyone who shares our philosophy. I struggle every day to keep my views in check, and someday, you will too. Please understand that once you turn sixteen and get branded, you will have to suppress your views, because you can and will be punished for them. But do not let that stop you from finding your window of opportunity.”_

_His father wound up passing away from a heart attack when he was eighteen, a month before he was ready to leave for college. There was no way, he knew, that he would be able to fit into his father’s shoes. His father’s time spent studying philosophy and ancient thinkers was his contribution to the world, and it was all that was left of him. And now, it was time for Erwin to take what he had learned and apply it to his path going forward._

_When he got to university, he and Hanji continued as they usually had with their communicating, sending letter after letter of information to one another and devising plans and theses that supported desegregation. Once Hanji joined him a year later, they were able to think and speak more freely on the matter. Thankfully, their being in a college setting was enough of a mask and explanation for what they were doing, and they were dismissed from the laws for the time being. They gathered a small group of support, one that was reasonably sized but not necessarily vocal (for now). When they graduated, even though Erwin had already decided and been accepted into law school, they were going to have more repercussions stacked against them._

_“This is it,” Hanji sighed with a goofy smile. “We’re going to turn this world upside-down, Smith.”_

_Erwin had just turned twenty-three when a male with a temper as short as his height caught his eye across the room from a party to welcome the TAs from the graduate school. And knowing his history, it was no surprise that said male was a Capricorn. He was captivated instantly by his presence: the shininess of his hair, the paleness of his skin, the darkness of his eyes. The man’s name was Levi, he found out, and he was doomed instantly._

 

Chapter 2: When Scorpios Scheme

 

In their junior year of high school, to those who knew them, it was hardly a surprise that Eren and Jean had started dating. Mostly everyone had taken their constant bickering and fights as a way of hiding their more intimate feelings for one another. Their relationship was ironic, to some extent: one day, they could give each other a black eye, but the next, they would be having lunch as if it hadn’t happened, sharing fries and battling for the last of the ketchup. When they had started dating, everyone had placed bets on when they would break up, but even when they argued, they never ended their relationship.

The worst it had ever gotten was over a petty subject that they had put behind them, but had caused them to apply to different colleges. When their relationship improved, they still decided on attending the school of their choice; Trost was hard enough to get into as it was, and Shiganshina had always been considered because it had a homely feel to it. In the end, attending different colleges for their undergrad turned out to be better for their relationship. Even with the three-hour driving distance, Eren and Jean’s strongest years as a couple were in college, on the roads of self-discovery. If anything, their love for one another deepened. The duo still fought—it was natural for them, no matter who it was with—though it lacked any malice and hatred. If anything, it was for fun and their own enjoyment, and was met with kisses laced with carbonated drinks afterwards.

When they both decided on attending grad school, Eren for a law degree and Jean for history, they applied to the same one and were accepted. They were already planning on their rooming conditions and looking at apartment choices before they had even received their undergrad. And their mutual friend Annie was on the floor above them. Things were going well for them, even on a day where it was cold enough to freeze their balls off and Eren was more focused on wrestling Jean than keeping an eye out for Annie. She had texted them a short while ago with plans to meet them down in the courtyard, shared with three other apartment buildings, while she finished up the last bits of school work. Their impatience had led them to an intense struggle to capture or protect Jean’s beanie.

“This is your last warning,” Jean glowered in warning, stepping back quickly. The hands just barely missed him. “Don’t do it!”

“I’m getting that hat,” Eren snickered with a devious smile. His feet shuffled when his boyfriend’s did, matching him move for move.

“No you’re not.”

“I’ll tackle you if I have to!”

“You stay the hell away—” Jean tried to duck away from his hands, but this time his beanie was torn off of his head. “You jackass!”

Eren cackled in triumph and pulled the hat over his head. The dark green material accentuated his eyes, that shock of teal that was so rare, and complimented him rather well. “Suck it, Kirschtein.”

“I can if you really want.” The taller, panting quietly and smirking, pulled Eren closer by his belt loops and pressed a teasing kiss beneath his jawline. “Annie’s taking her sweet ass time. We can fit in a quickie before she gets here.”

“Pff. Are you serious right now?”

“As if we haven’t done it before.”

“I don’t know, Jean. Sometimes you take forever to come. Not counting when you bottom.”

“Maybe you should be better then.”

“Maybe you should, too.”

“Asshole.” Jean leaned down to close the short distance between their lips, one hand caressing Eren’s jaw before it shot up and ripped the beanie off. “Ha!”

“Dickbag!”

“I can hear you shouting from my apartment.”

Annie stood in front of them, hands stuffed in her hoodie’s pocket, unamused by their banter. She had been a neighbor of Eren’s since they were kids, when sharing a backyard was the only way they knew about each other, and then expanded into their friendship before Jean came into the picture. The trio had attended the same high school, and kept in touch even when they went to different colleges.

“Not my fault,” Eren shrugged as Jean adjusted his beanie over his head once more. “Where do you wanna go for dinner?”

“I have to go somewhere first,” the blonde, already walking away, informed them. The pair was able to catch up to and keep pace with her. “Hitch told me about an interest meeting being held at the south side of campus. She read about it in a group chat or something.”

“Why aren’t you going with her then?” The tallest of the trio wondered.

“Because she canceled on me. Something about an emergency presentation that’s due or something. She probably lied to get out of it though.”

“And you’re still interested in it?”

She shrugged. “It wouldn’t hurt to try it out. I don’t have anything else to do.”

“What’s it about?” Eren asked.

“Social justice or something like that. I don’t know. I didn’t care until she bailed.”

“Of course you didn’t. We could be going off to die, you know.”

“Shut up, Madonna,” Jean scoffed.

“I’m just saying!”

The trio of Aries arrived at an older building, one that was apparently in the renovation stages but still open in sections for general access. It had once been the hall for undergraduate admissions and enrollment management of the university, but had been falling apart in later years. Why anyone would want to host a meeting in there was any of their guesses.

“Urgh, it smells like paint,” whined Eren, nose scrunching up in distaste.

“It’s not that bad,” Jean shrugged despite the dip he took into his scarf to ward off the smell. “Better than you.”

His boyfriend only huffed, though still smiled, and tugged on his scarf as he passed. “Fuck off.”

Annie led the couple up a flight of stairs to their right and to a large lobby that split off in four different directions. On either side of them, a pair of large oak doors opened up to a hallway of classrooms. They turned left and then stopped at the third door to the right. Annie pulled out her phone then, checking to see if they were in the right place.

“This won’t take long, right?” Eren asked as one hand cupped his stomach. “I’m starving and I only had an apple to snack on.”

“We can head over to Dede’s, if you want,” Jean suggested.

“Holy shit, that sounds delicious. Stop talking about it.”

Annie turned the knob and opened the door, only to be met with an assortment of people sitting around a long oval table. The post had been exclusively for fire signs only; otherwise, Hitch wouldn’t have heard about it. And yet two Capricorns could already be seen, quietly sitting but already unmistakable. Whatever signs the other four were didn’t matter. Eren and Jean had already gone quiet, almost from instinct, but the blonde woman started to shut the door. “Wrong room.”

“Are you here for the social justice meeting?” One of the females asked, a scattering of freckles across her cheeks. “Because if you’re not, there are some home ec classes in 342.”

“We’re not here for anything,” Annie stated.

“You were just wandering around here?” The woman beside her inquired with a small raise of a thin eyebrow.

The shortest Arian, fists clenched at her side, glared in return. “Yes, we were. We aren’t supposed to be here, and now we’re leaving—”

As Annie turned to lead her companions away, she was halted by a taller, much stronger force that she nearly ran into. She had to step back and look up in order to aim her glower at what—or, rather, who—had gotten in her way.

“You’re leaving already?” Reiner sneered, his arms crossed in front of his chest. “It hasn’t even started yet.”

“Move out of the way,” she snapped. It wasn’t just difficult for her to get along with Leos; the source stemmed from the history her family had with the Braun’s. They had been cordial to start off, a long time ago that was no longer remembered, but once the Leonhardt’s marriage started to crumble, so did their social life. The Braun’s weren’t much of a help either, though Annie liked to believe that Reiner’s attempt of “help” was nothing more than a mockery to her. It was their butting heads that was the last straw for their families’ positive relations.

“Why should I?” Stretching his arms behind his back, he towered over her teasingly. “You’re perfectly capable of moving aside.”

“You’re not waiting on _me_ to do anything for you.” Annie stepped forward to push him out of the way, but Jean hauled her back by the shoulder.

“It’s not worth fighting over, Annie,” he stated with a fierce stare. “He’s only gonna waste your time.”

“You’re wasting our time by not moving out of the way,” a second voice came from behind Reiner, and his roommate Sasha passed between them. Apparently, by what Annie had been told, she had met Reiner at a college party and although they hadn’t attended the same university, they still grew close and remained in touch. Their decisions to attend grad school was how they ended up choosing Rose University and sharing an apartment.

“You _want_ to go in there?” Eren exclaimed in shock, stopping the female Leo in her tracks. “When there’s who knows what in there?”

“They’re people, not objects, Jaeger,” Sasha corrected with a scoff. “And I don’t care if we share signs or not—I want to talk to them.” She walked into the room with a smile and a loud indistinguishable outburst. Reiner started to follow after her, but was stopped by Annie’s retort

“You’re risking your pride talking to them,” she sneered. “It’s not going to go over well.”

Reiner paused, one eyebrow raised, and then snorted. “You think I came here without thinking about that?” He nodded to the brunette, who had decided to sit on the table and chat to the two Capricorns. “She was interested in it, so I went along with her.”

“How sweet. Looks like Leos really do have hearts.”

He shot her another glare before stepping inside and to an excited shout from his fellow Leo. With his departure, Annie turned and started to head back down the hall, but Eren stopped her from going any further by stepping in her way.

“Dammit, Eren!” She shoved him, but he only stayed put, resulting in another rough push. “Move!”

“Hey, quit that,” Jean snapped, standing in front of his boyfriend. “Don’t take your anger out on him when he didn’t do shit to piss you off!”

“Annie, he’s not worth getting mad over,” Eren chimed in. He tried to stand over Jean’s shoulder, but then ducked under his arm instead. “Just let it go for now.”

The Aries woman sighed, shutting her eyes momentarily and breathing in deeply, before she stared up at the pair. “I’m not leaving because of him. I’m leaving because whoever set that up isn’t doing it for the right reasons.”

“You don’t know that,” Jean pointed out. “It hasn’t even started.”

“I’m not an idiot, and I know you’re not either. Why do you think there were Capricorns in there? Who knows what else is in there?”

“Annie, come on—”

“ _No_. I’m getting the hell out of here before I’m dragged into whatever trainwreck was organized, and you two are coming with me.”

The couple hesitated in answering, whether it was out of not knowing what to say or not wanting to anger her any further, but Jean had looked up in that time to see a figure peeking out from the open door, eavesdropping on them. “Can we help you?”

Eren and Annie turned around just as the figure jumped in alarm and pointed a finger at himself. “M-me?”

“No, the other nosy bastard that’s spying on us. Yes, you.”

He stepped out further, one hand rubbing the back of his neck as he walked over to them. “I swear I wasn’t trying to eavesdrop—”

“It looked like you were,” Annie pointed out.

“I wasn’t!” He raised his hands in defense. “I-I heard yelling, and I wanted to make sure that everything was okay.”

“Pff, wow,” Eren scoffed with a chuckle. “You’re a Gemini, aren’t you?”

The newcomer faltered, his mouth open before he chewed on his lower lip. “That doesn’t have to do with anything.”

“Why else would you be eavesdropping?” The blonde pursued. “You’re all nosy bastards, aren’t you?”

He frowned at that, as if unsettled by the accusation. “At least our noses don’t show it.”

Both Jean and Eren burst out into cackles of laughter, startling the Gemini and causing Annie to turn towards them with a frightening fury. “Stop laughing. I know where I can hide your bodies.”

“L-look, I’m not trying to cause any trouble,” the eavesdropper continued. “But if you wanna stay, you kinda can’t yell—”

“This guy is great,” Jean sighed, recovered from his laughing fit, and pulled the Gemini off to the side, away from the other two Arians. There was a small height difference between them, but he forced himself not to notice it. “Look, uhh, what’s your name?”

“Marco.”

“Marco, thanks—look, Marco. We would like to stay, but we can’t. And it’s nothing personal to you or the Leos or anyone else. We’re just, eh…too in love with ourselves to risk our lives for complete strangers.”

“Yeah, you gotta be at level eight to get that,” Eren joked, receiving another amused smile from his boyfriend.

“Exactly; so if you can just move on from all of this and never mention it to anyone, that would be really helpful.”

Marco was hesitant, but he nodded nonetheless. “Okay… I suppose I can—”

“Hey Marco! You’re not letting these guys push you around, are you?”

The same freckled female from earlier sauntered over to the two with a predatory smirk. Whoever she was, she caused Marco to sigh and shut his eyes.

“Ymir, please—”

“You three aren’t going anywhere, if that’s what you’re doing,” Ymir stated. She grabbed the Gemini by the arm and tugged him away from Jean. “And you’re not going to make my cousin cover for you either. You’re here, you know what’s up, so you’re gonna deal with it and not tell a soul about it.”

“That’s not fair,” Annie glowered. “We don’t know anything.”

“It _is_ fair, blondie. You almost started a fight in the hallway and completely disrespected us.” She pointed at Eren; “We _are_ people, dammit.”

“Sorry, I guess?” Eren shrugged. “It won’t happen again.”

“Damn right it won’t. Now get inside before someone overhears us.”

“We aren’t going inside—” Jean tried to protest, but was kicked in the shin. “Ow—hey!”

“I’ll drag you in by your pubes if I have to, I don’t mind going near a penis or two today.”

The trio were forced to walk back down the hall and into the room they had initially came upon. When they walked in and down the few steps to the main floor, both Leos turned to witness the arrival with smirks.

“Look who decided to show!” Sasha jeered. She had made herself comfortable atop the table, cross-legged and all, in front of the two Capricorns and who must have been another earth sign. “Nice to see you three again.”

Annie took the next empty seat, separated from Ymir by a single person, the same female who had spoken to them earlier. A red scarf hung around her neck despite the fact that her coat was on the back of her chair. The accessory caught Eren’s eye for a moment, and he gazed at it for a long while before sitting down.

“We’re only here because Leopard Face over there wouldn’t let us leave,” Annie replied.

“Hey, that’s my cousin you’re talking about,” Ymir frowned. “Watch it.”

“I wasn’t talking to Two-Faces.”

The woman in the red scarf glanced over at Ymir as she sat down beside her. “How pleasant,” she said with a small hum. “I hope it was worth it.”

“Pff, please, Mika, these idiotic fireballs define ’pleasant’ as a fist to the mouth.”

“What did you call us?” Jean glared from Annie’s other side.

“What was your name?” Eren asked, pointing to the girl with the red scarf.

She looked over at him, seemingly unfazed by his sudden question. “Mikasa.”

“Mikasa…” He let the name settle on his lips and then leaned back. The name wasn’t a common one, and it sounded familiar to his ears. He knew he had heard it somewhere, but where, he wasn’t sure. He tried to think about it, to shift through his memories to come to a conclusion, but nothing surfaced.

“Is it Spanish?” Sasha wondered from across the table. “As in, _mi casa_?”

“It’s Japanese,” Mikasa corrected.

“Mm, figures.” She faced the earth signs once more, smiling at the blonde Capricorn. “Sorry about that, what were you saying about ‘Reiss’?”

“Nothing else than what I’ve said,” she responded with a small shrug. “It’s really just a name to me. I don’t have any other relation to them besides that. I only know as much as the general public.”

“Are you talking about the Reiss family?” Marco asked. “That really big Aquarius lineage?”

“Aren’t they the assholes who came up with the whole branding notion back in the 1800s?” Ymir chimed in.

“Actually, those were the Walls,” Jean corrected. “The Reiss’ were against it at first, but they eventually started to invest in it so that they could get rich off of it. They opened one of the first parlors specifically for the tattoos and proposed the bill that made tattooing our symbols mandatory.”

“Sounds like them.” She nodded to the Capricorn. “Why are you talking about them?”

The blonde paused, gazing at the pairs of eyes staring at her. “I was Rod Reiss’ daughter.”

Ymir’s hands slammed onto the tabletop, and Jean and Marco simultaneously leapt up from their leaning positions. The other guests were just as shocked; Sasha nearly fell off the table. “You’re kidding me!” The freckled female shouted past a wide, ecstatic grin. “You’re Historia Reiss?!”

Historia nodded albeit hesitantly. “Unfortunately.”

“Hold on, how are you a Cap then if you’re a Reiss?” Jean demanded, gesturing to the left side of his bare neck, which bore the insignia on her body. “They’re Aquarians.”

“Because I was born a Capricorn. I was born a week before the due date.”

“Right, right, of course.” One hand reached under the table to squeeze at Eren’s. History was a passion he had had for years, and anything involving it, no matter how small or big, or even if it had no relation to his line of interest, excited him. The raw passion that burned in his eyes and showed in every fiber of his being only made Eren fall more in love with him. “What did they do? How did everything work out?”

“That’s none of your business.”

“Oh come on, don’t be that way.”

Historia’s eyes narrowed. “I’m not being any way. I don’t like talking about it, and that’s final.”

“Fiery,” Ymir mused quietly. “I can deal with that.”

The icy blue eyes flickered over to her as soon as she spoke. “How did it feel to be separated from your cousin for five years?”

The freckled female tensed at the question, her hands curling into fists. “That was uncalled for. Why the fuck are you even bringing that up when you have _no_ business in—and why the hell were you listening in on my conversations?!”

“You were yelling at Twelve Drummers today, so the entire restaurant heard you. And whatever personal business I have with the Reiss family is everyone else’s, right? If I don’t want to talk about it, it doesn’t matter, because other people want to know. Therefore, whatever personal business you have between you, an Aquarius, and your Gemini cousin is everyone else’s.” She then addressed both Jean and Ymir, though her tone was pointed towards anyone who dared to push further on the matter. “And I’m pretty sure there are things about you that you don’t want anyone else knowing. So maybe you should respect my privacy, and I’ll respect yours.”

Silence filtered in the room after that, uncomfortable and tense by her statement. Bertolt seemed to be the least shocked by it all, but he was certainly tense beside his friend. Historia simply sat back, her legs crossed daintily in front of her. Inside, she was squirming from the spotlight that had been cast on her, but she tried to ignore it as best she could. For too long, she had let things pass over her, and she wasn’t going to let these complete strangers get away with it. The silence didn’t last much longer, however, as a blond male walked into the room and disrupted the mute atmosphere.

“Oh—is this it?”

He stopped in the doorway to tug off his gloves and shut the door behind him. He smiled faintly yet warmly at those present, stuffing his gloves into his coat pocket.

“This is everyone that’s shown up so far,” Ymir replied, broken out of the silent atmosphere.

“Good,” the newcomer nodded, and walked down to their level. “Hopefully, no one else will show. This is just the amount I need.”

“You won’t take long, right?” Eren wondered. “I haven’t eaten since lunch, and I think my stomach is about to eat itself.”

The blond shook his head with a quiet laugh. “Um, no, I shouldn’t be long. Though it really depends on what happens here.”

“What do you need us for?” Reiner wondered. Both he and Sasha remained where they had been before, despite the fact that they could have sat down in chairs like everyone else.

“And who are you?” Sasha added. “I feel like I’ve seen you before.”

“Oh, really?” The blond’s eyebrows rose, accompanied by a small smile. “Err, you might have seen me in my complex’s courtyard. I’m a Scorpio, so—”

“Oh yeah! You’re always out there reading.” She gestured to her companion. “We’re Leos, so we pass by you a lot to get to our apartment. Nice book choices, by the way!”

“Get to the point already,” Ymir complained. “I have a Skype call with some important people that I gotta get to. If I miss it, they’re gonna kick my ass.”

The Scorpio nodded, let out a deep breath, and stood at the middle of the table. “My name is Armin Arlert. And I want to desegregate society.” When no one answered or panicked, much to his surprise, he continued. “I know it sounds terrible…a-and I honestly expected you all to rise up in a panic when I said that, but please know that I don’t want to cause anyone harm. I just want change.”

“You can count this guy out then,” Sasha joked, patting the male she had been talking to earlier on the head. “Tauruses _hate_ change.”

Historia nudged the Taurean to break him out of the daze he had been sitting under, and he jumped a bit before he scrunched up his shoulders, as if to hide himself.

“Why do you want this?” Jean asked.

“He has to have a reason?” Ymir snorted with a wide grin. “I say we go for it!”

“Some of us want to know what this actually means before jumping into it headfirst.”

“Touché. Didn’t think an Aries would want to sit down and think about this.”

“I’m a historian. It’s a habit.”

“Ooh, fancy. You sound like you stuff eclairs up your asshole for a living.”

“That makes no sense, but I hope you’re proud of yourself for it.”

“I am, actually, because I’m the fucking best.”

Jean rolled his eyes and turned back to the Scorpio. “Why do you want to do this, Coconut?”

Armin blinked at the nickname, conflicted between taking offense and pushing it off, before he gave his answer. “I’m tired of being ignored by three-fourths of society. If I’m supposed to ‘do great things’ by going to college and getting my degree, I want it to be for everyone, not a selection of people.”

“One of us can turn you in for this,” Annie remarked.

“That would turn everyone else in, too. The government would see it as you surrendering to them, and they would arrest you as an accomplice.”

“Where’s your proof?”

“There are tons of cases on it, actually,” Eren remarked with an impressed tone. “Because we were here when he brought up the idea of desegregation, we’re liable to any actions he takes to accomplish it.”

“Either way, something has to be done about it,” Armin said, returning to the matter at hand. “The longer this is put off, the more difficult it will be to fix it.”

“Why can’t we keep everything the way it is?” The Taurean spoke up with a shaky tone. He gulped down the fear that lingered in his voice, and spoke with more confidence. “It would be pretty useless to waste time on this and then…I dunno, have it fail or something.”

“That’s why you keep going until you get your way,” Ymir smirked, and then she looked back at Armin. “You can count me in on this, by the way.”

“You’re not doing this,” Marco whipped towards her, his tone firm but his expression remaining as neutral as he could make it.

“Same here,” Mikasa raised her hand.

“No, you’re not! Neither of you are doing this!”

Ymir faced her cousin with just as much force, her teasing and aloof attitude melting into a firm and clearly furious persona. “How could you not be on board with this?! This is what we’ve been planning since we were seven!”

“You’re only doing this because you want to destroy society!”

“Bullshit! You just want me to stay with you, because you’re afraid and you don’t wanna do anything wrong!”

Mikasa was able to force the cousins to stand, and she handed both of them their coats before putting on hers. She stole a glimpse at Armin, and grimaced apologetically; “We’ll get back to you.”

“No worries,” the Scorpio smiled. “If I get enough of a response from this, I’ll probably hold another meeting next week.”

She nodded, and escorted the two out, separating them even though they still shouted over her. “Thanks for everything.”

“We should probably get going, too,” Eren stated with a stretch and a yawn. “I think my stomach ate my liver and is going for my kidneys now.”

“Stop whining about food,” Jean scowled, though it lacked any real malice. “I’ll take you wherever you wanna go.”

“Mmm, carry me to McDonald’s. I’m too weak to go on.“

”Big baby.“

”Will you two be helping with this?“ Armin asked, a quiet smidge of hope in his voice.

”Oh, no,“ Eren shook his head, his boyfriend mimicking him. ”We’re fine with how things are. Don’t really need to change, y’know? But, ah, thanks anyway.“

”Okay, well,“ he hesitated for a brief moment, ”if, by any chance, you change or mind, or if I hold another meeting, would you still be interested in coming?

“Maybe,” Jean replied and turned to Annie. “You heading out with us?”

She nodded, and, without another glimpse back at those remaining, she followed the couple out the door.

Armin danced on the balls of his feet for a second before he turned to the five people still in the room. The Taurean was already standing and talking to the Capricorn, and the Leos were in their own conversation. “Are any of you…”

“We’re not,” answered Sasha with a piteous smile. “We have a lot of our pride to maintain, and we’re too good to be limited to orange for the rest of our lives.”

“But what you’re doing is great,” Reiner added. “It’s just not for us.”

“Maybe we’ll change our minds! We’d definitely return if you get anything from this.”

“Well, thank you for coming, either way,” Armin stated, and he swore the brunette had turned back around to wave flirtatiously at one of the earth signs as she left.

The Taurean glanced at the retreating Leos before facing the Scorpio. He scuffled his feet and stuffed his hands in his hoodie’s pocket. “Err, I really would like to join you guys, but, uh…i-it’s not my thing, really. Sorry about it.”

“You don’t have to apologize. I understand.”

“I-I would help out, I swear! I’m just…not as brave as you, I guess.”

Armin frowned at the statement, but gently gathered the shifting earth sign’s attention with a warm smile. It must have been a strange sight, coming from what was stereotypically a poisonous sign. But he hoped that the stereotype didn’t hit him as much as he thought. “It’s not about being brave, you know. This is really scary, I get that. And it’s only going to get worse the more I get into it. But I know what I have to do, and I’m going to get through it as best I can. So if you’re uncomfortable with doing this, know that it doesn’t have to do with fear. That’s just a part of this.”

The shorter seemed to relax by a fraction, but he still grinned shyly. “Thanks, Armin. I’ll probably get used to hearing these two talk about it, so…i-if it’s okay…”

“You’re always welcome to join when you’re ready.”

A relieved sigh released the tension in his shoulders, and he smiled with a bit more ease. “Thanks a bunch. I’m Connie, by the way.” He nodded to the two Capricorns still sitting behind him. “You’re really lucky to have these two.”

Even if he wasn’t sure what that meant, he said his goodbyes and leaned against the table edge to easily address the duo. “So you two are going to help me?”

The taller of the duo glanced at his companion before nodding. Even if he didn’t know these two strangers, Armin could see that there was something beneath the surface that they were keeping secret. They must have gone through something, or at least know of something that had happened, in order to bring that type of determination and confidence to their stances. It was almost startling to see a burning desire that barely licked at the edges of their calm exteriors. He was unsure if the others had taken the time to see it. Capricorns, even with the blatant tattoo on their necks, were not usually over the top. But he noticed the passion from the second he had walked over to them.

“We’re tired of segregation not being dealt with properly,” the Capricorn male replied firmly. “It’s been going on for too long already, and it’s time to fix it. And we want to help.”

“Whatever you need us to do,” the blonde nodded, and added a small smile, “you can count on us.”


	3. Evaluation of Choices

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Consider the pros and cons, choose a side, pledge allegiance to an ever-present threat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise this story is going to get better in time
> 
> So we get to see a bit more of the individuals! This chapter was long enough as it was, so I kept out Armin's and the air signs :') But we will get to see more of them, I can assure you! They will come back.
> 
> For now, enjoy the stylings of some teasing Springles and some fun JeanEren, along with a few backstories that are just the beginning. Everyone has a story.
> 
> **Warning for implied/referenced sexy times at the end of the chapter. It's not that explicit but it's still suggestive.
> 
> Hope you enjoy! And if you want, leave a comment or two! They are very kind. :)

_When Nanaba’s neighborhood was reorganized to segregate residents, she found herself lonelier than she had ever been before—at least, she couldn’t recall ever feeling such a strong reaction to that feeling. Her best friend Gelgar had lived behind her, separated by a tall fence that was close to their houses. They had connected a string with tin cans at the end as a means of communication, but turned to walkie-talkies after her eighth birthday. And when their local government announced the reorganization of homes for better resources, Gelgar and his family were forced to move. They didn’t go very far, just at the end of the block, but it was far from Nanaba’s house, and not as convenient. The most devastating part of it all was that he had forgotten to bring his walkie-talkie along with him. Now, they had to walk to each other’s house just to hang out._

_One Friday evening, when Nanaba was getting ready for bed, the toy crinkled to life with static and a voice she didn’t recognize. She didn’t remember turning it on, but she supposed she had in case Gelgar had gone back to retrieve it (if the distance could even be reached). But her friend was not on the other end._

_“Hello?”_

_She slid off the bed and picked up the yellow device. Logic, and a glance out the window, told her that the source was whoever had the lights on in that house, in the room across from hers. However, her childlike instincts countered it by convinc her it was a monster that had managed to haunt the toy she no longer used. Maybe it was a friendly ghost who wanted to befriend her. Or maybe their new neighbors were a family of Bigfoots._

_“Hello.”_

_She responded back just as he had, hoping she hadn’t pressed on the talk button for too long to miss a response. Her worries were ceased when he answered back._

_“Who is this?”_

_“This is Nanaba,” she replied. “Who is this?”_

_“Mike.”_

_“Hi Mike. Are you a ghost?”_

_“No, I’m a Scorpio.”_

_She plopped down on the floor in front of her window, gazing out across the small expanse of yard and then up at the nighttime sky. A similar figure appeared, probably doing what she was and investigating the speaker from a distance. She could just make out shaggy blond hair on the boy’s head, and she didn’t put it past him to notice her own long blonde locks. “I’m a Virgo.”_

_A long pause. “Earth and water signs aren’t allowed to talk to one another.”_

_“I know.”_

_“We can get in trouble.”_

_“Do you wanna stop?”_

_Another pause. “No. Why is your walkie-talkie in my house?”_

_“My friend used to live there, but he moved and forgot to bring it with him.”_

_“Oh.”_

_“Yeah. But it’s okay, because I still get to see him sometimes.”_

_“Do you want your walkie-talkie back?”_

_This time, it was Nanaba who hesitated. Technically, she could take it back without a problem, and they could never speak again. That was what would have been society’s correct situation. However, they had already started talking, and Mike didn’t seem too bad, even if she knew little about him. There wasn’t any harm in talking to a Scorpio who lived on the other side of the fence as long as they never made real contact, right? “You can keep it.”_

_“Okay.”_

_“You can use it to talk to me. I want to be your friend.”_

_“Okay. We can be friends. I’ve never had a Virgo as a friend.”_

_“I’ve never had a Scorpio as a friend.”_

_“…should we tell our parents?”_

_“No!” She realized she had yelled when the boy at his window cringed away from his walkie-talkie. “They’ll only get mad. This is going to be our secret, okay?”_

_There was a brief pause, and then she noticed that Mike had raised his hand, fingers splayed out. Nanaba didn’t understand what it meant, but she went along with it anyway and mirrored him._

_“I promise I won’t tell anyone,” he swore._

_“I promise too,” she said. “This is the best secret I will ever have.”_

_And for the next ten years, Nanaba’s closest friend was one she could never talk to in person. She and Mike stayed up late on weekends, chatting about their day or what was bugging them. When one was upset, the other was there to listen and comfort. And when they were bored, they played games to entertain one another. They laughed and smiled and yelled and cried, all the while expanding a secret friendship that was stronger than any she had ever had. And every night, no matter what mood they were in, they raised their hands in silence, a mirrored image, that symbolized their commitment to their secret._

_It wasn’t until college that they finally were able to meet face to face. Nanaba remembered the conversation specifically the night before move in day, he sitting on the windowsill and she on the floor, trying to fold a square piece of paper into a crane._

_“Are you nervous about tomorrow?” She had asked past a mouthful of Poptart. Mike had grown quieter over the years, though they always became more extroverted when they talked. Gelgar, still a good friend of hers, noted that fact about her once long ago, and she still found that she had not changed. She may have turned towards more of a neutral appearance as she had grown older, with her silky blonde hair now a short undercut, but she was still herself. She was still Nanaba the Virgo with dull doctors for parents and a deadly secret._

_“Moving in?” There was a pause, and a hum. “No. Meeting you?” The teasing smirk was heavy in his voice. “Now that’s something to be afraid of.”_

_“Hey,” she frowned, “I’ll have you know I’m the last person you should be afraid of.”_

_“Not true. You can be vicious.”_

_“How am I vicious?!”_

_“You kicked a hole in the wall.”_

_“I was eleven. My parents cut off the internet for no reason. I had every right to be mad.”_

_“And lash out like that? What a millennial. Are you really a Virgo though?”_

_Nanaba sat up to glower at him over the sill. “I don’t know. Are you really a Scorpio because you’re socializing?”_

_“What are you suggesting?”_

_“I’m suggesting Scorpios don’t know how to talk to people.”_

_“Mm.” Mike shrugged. “It’s not completely false.”_

_“Shut up.”_

_He chuckled, and they fell into a comfortable silence. “I really am excited to see you.”_

_“You sound like you’re overwhelmed with joy.”_

_“I mean it. You helped me out in ways I can’t get from anyone else. I consider you the best friend I could have ever had.” He paused, and Nanaba found herself hanging onto every word he uttered. “Thank you.”_

_It wasn’t very often that Mike opened up like that, and she took each opportunity like it was her last. Soon, they wouldn’t have to use walkie-talkies to communicate. They would be able to do it face to face, even though they were both risking persecution. Hopefully, the plan to hide their tattoos would work out, and they wouldn’t come off as suspicious._

_Nanaba raised her right hand, spreading her fingers out. Mike raised his left and did the same._

_“Thank you, Mike.”_

 

Chapter 3: Evaluation of Choices

 

After talking with Armin and establishing a starting point as the newest and only members to his idea, the Capricorns parted ways with the Scorpio and headed to the library. They had been given a small list of books and journals, as well as a few articles that could be found online, that had the info they needed to better understand the situation and what they would be doing. It was essential to be well-informed of any topic before delving into it, and being individuals that always thought before they acted, it was easy for them to comprehend and follow through with it. Historia, however, seemed quieter than usual, and when they walked out of the library an hour later, backpacks heavy with books, Bertolt refused to let the silence linger any longer.

“What was it this time?” He asked, straightforward and to the point.

Historia glanced up at him briefly. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“If you don’t want to talk about it now, we can wait until later.”

“I’m fine, Bertolt.” Even her tone was unconvincing, unusually harsh and exasperated. “Don’t worry about me.”

Without another word, Bertolt let the subject drop. He had known Historia since she had been adopted by his aunt, so he was used to her avoiding the subject when it came to her feeling a certain way. If she wanted to talk about it, she would have addressed it from the start, and pushing it would do neither of them any good. He would have to wait until she decided she was ready.

It didn’t take long, as it normally didn’t. The duo had gotten back to their apartment and heated up some leftovers while they started their research and notetaking. Their classes started later in the morning tomorrow, so they had a little bit of extra time that night for what they needed to accomplish. Bertolt stationed himself at the kitchen table, Historia in the living room, with any surface they could reach covered in papers and books. They worked in silence while they read up on laws that had been in place for hundreds of years, coming over from Europe when America was still a cluster of colonies. They were even lucky enough to find sources from the very start of astrological segregation in the mid-1400s, when families were split up and marriages were forced, and children were removed from their homes or even killed if their parents didn’t share their sign, whether the families willed it or not. They made references between numerous texts, marked a poster board that turned into a timeline for important events, bookmarked pages for future reference, and highlighted facts upon facts, from people to landmark decisions to important dates and years.

It was an hour after they had started working, Bertolt finishing his reading of an essay by an Enlightenment thinker, that he found Historia standing in the walkway of their kitchen, wine glass in hand and the tip of her finger tracing the rim. The crease in her brow told him that she was thinking about what she had kept from him earlier. He smiled piteously at her, and moved aside some papers so she could sit down at the table. With a spot clear, the blonde plopped down quietly and sighed, the clacking of keys from her roommate’s laptop the only sound for a short while.

“I didn’t know what to expect from this meeting tonight,” she started, her voice small and fragile, “but I wasn’t expecting half of the astrological sun signs to be there.”

He paused in his typing to look up at her over the top of his laptop. “Is that all?”

She looked at him quizzically, confused by what he meant, but once it clicked, she rolled her eyes. “Bert, please—”

“It’s a genuine question.”

“It is not and you know it.”

“No, it is. Is that all that’s bothering you?”

“…that one Aquarius that can’t keep her mouth shut—”

“My point exactly.” When she shot him a glare, he shut his laptop and rested his chin in his hand. He knew from that look that she demanded his full attention, and he was going to give that to her. “Continue.”

“She was frustrating. And crude. A-and so many things that I’m _not_ , and I don’t mean that in a jealous type of way. She’s so horrible and it bugs the hell out of me.” He opened his mouth to comment, but she beat him to it. “If I was given one minute alone with her, I would punch her in the mouth. I would. She is the type of person who will push aside everyone else just so she can get what she wants, and I’m not having it.”

Once he was sure it was safe to speak, Bertolt gave his answer. “To be fair, the only thing she said to you at the meeting was that you were fiery. She looked over at you when she got there, but that was it.”

Historia’s frown deepened into a scowl. “You’re supposed to be on my side, Bert.”

“There are no sides.”

“Did you not see how she looked at me this morning in Twelve Drummers?! She did the once-over, look-at-the-ass smirk thing.”

Bertolt bit back an amused laugh, coming out as a snort instead. “Yeah, but she didn’t do anything to mention it tonight. That was all on you.”

The blonde sat in silence, shifting between irritation at his statement and acceptance of her actions. Technically, the Aquarian hadn’t made any move towards her; she had appreciated, in a sense, what she had seen, an unnecessary but understandable action (Historia had mastered how to be confident in herself while remaining humble). And her comment at the meeting was nothing more than a type of compliment, just in her own way. The Capricorn had simply taken it in the context that the brunette was continuing what she had started earlier that day. Or perhaps that was just Historia trying to hide the fact that she too had done the once-over, look-at-the ass smirk, though her own internal version, of her.

“I hate when you’re right,” she mumbled, and took a sip of her drink. “I’m getting a new roommate.”

“Mhm,” the male smiled, a mixture of affection and warmth, the kind that was only for a select few. He stood to pour himself a glass of wine. “Good luck finding someone shorter than you.”

The blonde chuckled at the joke, a reference to how impossible it would be to find someone as great of a roommate as he. And it was true: there had been no greater friend than he for her, and she for him. “Speaking of ‘shorter than you’, that Leo wasn’t much taller than you.”

At that, Bertolt scoffed. “Oh he was really intimidating. He’s loud and blond, and he has muscles, and he’s tall—”

“All that you like in a man.”

A glass banged against the counter, and she smirked past her own at the glare that was sent her way. “That was one time.”

“He was a fire sign though.”

“He was a cusp who identified as a Capricorn!”

“Oh please, he was a total Sag!”

Bertolt, wine in hand, sat back down across from her. He assumed that this was payback for what he had said about the Aquarian, and if so, it was harsh. “I’d rather watch those two Arians have sex than date that Leo.”

Historia nearly spilt her wine. “They weren’t that bad, stop it!”

“When the taller one asked you those questions, his boyfriend gave him this ‘wow I am so in love with you’ look.”

“He did not!”

“I’ll kiss the Leo if I’m lying.”

The blonde covered her mouth to stifle her loud giggles. “At least it was better than the sexual tension between Connie and his new friend.”

“ _Please_ don’t get me started on them.”

“They were cute, come on now.”

“They were, that’s what gets me. I’ve never seen someone so smitten with a stranger until tonight. And it came in the form of Connie Springer.”

“And the wave she gave him when she left?” Bertolt groaned, his head falling back and causing her to erupt with laughter.

The joyful atmosphere fell once they quieted down, and they realized with a small start what they had been talking about. It would be a lie to say that they had no interest in the person who had eyed them the most that evening, but they were forcing themselves to forget about them, how addicted that gaze had been to not stare into and how amazing it felt to be looked at in such a way. But if they weren’t Armin, they had to have no interest in them until they worked with them, which, they had predicted, would more than likely not happen.

“Do you think Connie will do this?” Historia asked quietly.

Bertolt shrugged; “He might. If he does, it’ll be because of us.”

“…do you think he would do it for her?”

“I don’t think so, no. He would help us and Armin because it’s the right thing to do. But he wouldn’t do it for her, because it would go against society, and it’s bad enough—for him—that he’s breaking a few laws already. Falling in love will only add to it.”

“Hmm…”

“What do you think?”

“I agree with you. I was just wondering.”

They sat there for a few more minutes before they decided it was time to get back to work. Historia finished the rest of her wine before heading back to the couch. They had a couple more hours to spare before their energy wore down and sleep became an instant priority. For now, she had to focus on digging through the books around her to pull up resources she could use. _It’s for the better_ , she reminded herself. No child was going to go through the same experience she had had as a newborn. To be almost killed by one’s mother and then abandoned by one’s father for not being born at the correct time, becoming a shame to one’s family, was not what anyone deserved.

* * *

_“So! Who’s ready for a good old-fashioned coop?”_

_She was certainly pretty, he couldn’t deny that. She moved with utter confidence, and her smile lit up the room when she sauntered in. Her lips were thin and her eyes were round, light pools of cinnamon with a natural zest for life that couldn’t be rivalled by anything else. There were splotches of what looked like paint on her clothes and hands, a smear of charcoal even on her temple. Her body was curved and filled out, as he found by the up and down glance he gave her. Each step, each gentle sway of her hips, told him that she knew what she was doing, and she was sure of every move she made._

_Okay, so maybe she was certainly beautiful. Regardless, he took one look at her and wanted to pull her close to his chest. He wanted to dedicate his soul to this woman, to serve her and love her and treat her like a queen. And he didn’t even know her name. He didn’t know what sign she was, but he knew it was different from his. No earth sign that he knew walked with a prowess like that._

Connie was sure, as he lay in bed and tried to sleep, that he was going to lose his mind over a woman he had met for the first time that night.

Ever since he had gotten back from the meeting, his mind had been on that Leo woman, Sasha, who had captured his mind and, though he hoped not, his heart in a harsh grip. His head was still whirling from their interaction, the way she had looked at him, how her hand had felt against his. And when he shut his eyes and tried to count sheep, he just replayed the memory of her from the beginning, only more intense and more focused on her.

This was ridiculous. He had an early class that he would have to sprint to get to if he didn’t get to sleep soon.

_When no one answered her, she pouted and walked over to his side of the table. “Jeez, what a crowd.” She hopped onto the table, ponytail bouncing along, knees touching and feet resting in the chair beside him. She turned to him with a warm grin and a friendly twinkle in her eyes. “So, what’s your name?”_

_There was a moment of hesitation for a moment before he found the willpower to answer; “Connie.”_

_“Pff, isn’t that a girl’s name?”_

_His eyebrows furrowed at that. The comment was certainly not foreign to his ears, but it didn’t make it any easier to hear. “Yes, and it’s also my name.”_

_The brunette only laughed, the sound similar to the sound of ringing bells, and she patted his head like he was a dog. “You’re funny.”_

She mocked his name and then said he was funny. How did his head even stay in one piece?

_“I’m Sasha. What sign are you?”_

Sasha. It suited her nicely.

_“Taurus.” He said the next bit with hesitation heavy in his voice, hoping that there was some way she was an extroverted earth sign so that he wouldn’t have to dread their future lack of interactions._

_She seemed to falter as well at the new fact, but it was gone with a quick shift of her body so she could face him better. “You’re not too far away from mine! I’m a Leo.”_

There is no hope for him. His heart ached at the thought that he would most likely never get the chance to see her again. And she had been so exotic, so beautiful, so addictive, that he almost made a fool of himself. If it weren’t for Sasha’s friend Reiner appearing and conversing with Bertolt and Historia, he would have done something regrettable.

_“So, Connie,” Sasha glanced over at him while Reiner kept the Capricorns occupied, “what are you interested in?”_

_A strange question, but then again, she must socialize naturally like a Leo does, as if she majored in it instead of art. “Numbers are cool, I guess—”_

_“Numbers?” She burst out laughing at that. “You’re a nerd!”_

_“I am not!” He defended as his face burned with embarrassment. “I’m just—I think they’re cool! There’s nothing nerdy about that!”_

_“Don’t take it so personal, Connie. I’m not being mean.” She had calmed down enough from her laughter to smile at him, warm and friendly. “I think numbers are cool too.”_

_He huffed and slumped back in his seat. Two could play at that game. “Yeah, well, it’s better than dumb art.”_

_This time, it was her turn to scowl in offense. “Hey! Art is not dumb! It’s for a select group of people to enjoy, and math mages—mathematic—math people like you don’t understand!”_

_Connie laughed lightly, sitting up. “I know. It’s the second half of my undergrad.” Sasha had paused, confusion on her features, and he took it as his cue to continue. “I wanna be a teacher, right? But it’s hard to find a job teaching, so I got two majors: one I want to do, and the other I like. I like math, but I want to do art.”_

_When he finished explaining, there was a bright smile on the brunette’s face, and she laughed once more. The sound was joyous to listen to, joyful and clear and pure. He could listen to it all day and not get tired of it._

_“That’s genius!” The Leo grinned, and the way she looked at him nearly stopped his heart. “I bet you’d make a great art teacher.”_

“Argh!” Connie tossed the covers off of his body and sat up. He kneaded the souls of his hands into his eyes, as if to wash them of what they had seen. “Get out of my head!”

When he felt his mind was clear enough, he took a glance at his phone for the time. Bertolt had texted him earlier to let him know they were home safely, and his response to their conversation was aside a few other texts:  two from his mom and dad saying goodnight, one from his brother Tommy on where he kept his skateboard. It was otherwise despairingly blank, and it filled him with a sickly feeling. He had always been too shy to approach his crushes on how he felt, and now he really did have a reason for not making the first move. Maybe if he found her again and got her number—

No, that was silly, and irresponsible, and something he refused to put himself through. Connie responded to the texts and crawled back under the covers, curling in on himself and letting out a quiet sigh. Perhaps he could move in with Historia and Bertolt, or see if any of his friends needed a place to stay. All he knew was that this type of loneliness, the type where there was no one waiting for him to come home, was the worst type of feeling he could have.

* * *

As soon as they arrived back home, Sasha was halfway undressed and dashing to the bathroom. She nearly tripped over her shoes to get there, but she hopped into the hot water as soon as it was on. She sighed at the burning sensation before adjusting it to something bearable so she didn’t scald herself. Showering was, in a way, the only way to ensure that she was alone with her thoughts and there was no one else around. As much as she enjoyed socializing with others, and as much as she adored Reiner, there was nothing like herself for company. And this night, it was needed more than ever: she had had the closest call with a Taurus since she could remember, and it scared her.

It wasn’t that she was prejudiced against the signs—quite the opposite, in fact. She talked to anyone she wanted, even when society and the government didn’t approve of it, because that was who she was. Though if she did talk to someone outside of her element, she always made sure it was hidden and discreet and around those she trusted. She knew they wouldn’t betray her, and if they did, she would drag them down with her, and they were aware of that. Her wrath was something they knew not to touch or provoke.

But the Taurean had truly thrown her off that night. She hadn’t expected one to be there—thankfully, there had only been one—but now that she had seen him, she couldn’t get him out of her head. If he had been any other sign, she would have been fine. Talking to the Arians, Capricorns, and Scorpio was proof of that, because she had been fine. She was level-headed, thinking clearly, thinking like herself. But as soon as she discovered she was facing a Taurus, her confidence wavered, and anything after that had been an act that she was very good at putting up. She was an actress, after all, and she knew how to play herself the best of any role. If she hadn’t been, she was sure she would have swooped down to kiss him right there—

Sasha finished washing, checking to make sure there was nothing left in her hair, and then turned the water off. She wrapped a towel around her waist and head, shivering from the chilled air. As she opened the door to retrieve pajamas, however, she was met with a broad chest and a handful of clothes.

“You forgot these,” Reiner stated, and she took them with an embarrassed thanks. He was gone as soon as the clothes were taken, though he was heard moving around in the kitchen once more. Once she was dressed and her hair was dry enough, she went out into the living room and saw two bowls on the coffee table, filled with ice cream and an assortment of toppings, one already in her roommate’s hands. He patted the spot on the couch next to him, and she nearly sprinted over to join him.

“You’re the best,” she grinned, taking a spoonful of the frozen treat and practically moaning in delight.

He chuckled at her reaction; “I know. I’m pretty great.” A pause, a quiet moment to enjoy their dessert. “So what’s bugging you?”

Sasha had expected this; Reiner was the big brother she had never had, and she was thankful he had played that role just as much as she had been the sister he had lacked. But this was something she couldn’t tell the truth about, at least not yet. He didn’t know about her secret, and it would be confusing if she confessed her worries now. He was too misinformed to comprehend everything, because she wasn’t ready to tell him about it. Thankfully, she could give a partial lie.

“I might have a crush on that Taurean we talked to today.”

“Connie?”

“Mhm.”

He smiled with amusement; “That’s what made you so worried?”

“Yeah! It’s a serious concern!”

Reiner leaned his head back to laugh. “That’s never been a problem before! Remember that one time we talked to that really sweet lesbian couple at the mall? They were Virgo and Capricorn, which is the closest you can get to a Taurus! And you were fine with them!”

So perhaps this would be harder than she thought. But it would be okay, because she knew how to handle this. “Yeah, but this is _me_ , falling in _love_ , with another _sign_.”

“So it’s different to talk to them than it is to fall in love with them?”

“Obviously.”

The blond paused for a moment, and then shrugged. “I can see that.”

“Thank you! Besides, it’s not like I’m gonna see him every day. He’s a _Taurus_.”

“Yeah, that’s true…unless he joined that Scorpio.”

Sasha gave him a nervous glance, slowing down in the devouring of her ice cream. “Why did you say it like that? What do you mean?”

Reiner looked away and scratched the back of his head sheepishly. She knew he had no reason to lie to her about it; she would sniff it out before he could finish it. “I was just thinking, if we _did_ join Armin—”

“Reiner, no!”

“Okay, if _I_ joined—”

“ _Reiner_!”

“What?! There’s a possibility I c—what are you doing?”

Sasha had set her ice cream aside and placed her hands on either side of his face, pulling him close to her. “We cannot join them. Even if we really, really want to see the people we like—”

“Wait what?”

“—it’s too risky. We could go to _jail_.”

“Who do I like and how do you know that?”

“Oh please, I saw you flirting with that Cap. You two made gay love with your eyes.”

“That was an intimate moment, thank you! Don’t intrude on that!”

“Reiner, focus! We can go to jail, and we would be on the news for the wrong reasons. Do you know how _embarrassing_ that would be?”

Reiner frowned and gently removed Sasha’s hands away from his face. “I know, Sasha, I know. But think about it for a second: this is something that no one else has done before. If we help this Scorpio guy out, we’ll basically be heroes.”

Sasha sighed and rolled her eyes, but stopped when she was struck with an idea. She had done it enough times to know what she was doing, and she was sure that it would work this time. “Or…”

“‘Or’? You have your idea face on.”

“What if we played hard to get? We make them _think_ we don’t want to join, but we’ll still go to their group meetings, and then they’ll be begging us to join!”

Reiner hesitated momentarily, pondering the suggestion, before he grinned and started to laugh. “You’re a genius.”

“I know. If it weren’t for me, you’d be drooling over that Capricorn like a fool.”

“Huh. Okay. More ice cream for me, then.”

“Reiner, give it back!”

* * *

“Annie, change the channel, this is boring.”

The blonde looked over at Eren with a scoff, splayed on the other side of the couch and licking his fingers clean of any leftover salt from his fries. “Says who?”

“Me and the fish.”

“You don’t have a fish.”

“Yeah we do.”

“It died,” Jean called from the kitchen.

Eren scrambled to sit up in shock. “How?!”

“When I told you to feed it, you said, and I quote, ‘it’ll be fine, it’s just a fish’.”

“And you’re just now telling me?!”

“I thought you noticed!”

The trio of Arians had gathered, after a quick run to McDonald’s, at Eren and Jean’s shared apartment, since it was on a lower floor and “required less effort” to get to. Although that reason wasn’t good enough for them to completely believe it, Annie had suggested it strongly. Apparently, her dog, previously at her parents’ house, was now staying in her apartment, and she didn’t want her causing a problem so late at night.

Eren pouted into his side of the couch as Jean sat down between him and Annie. “I hate you, and I’m never giving your beanie back.”

“Harsh,” Annie mumbled in disinterest.

“I can take it back when you’re not wearing it,” Jean countered.

“Try it and see what happens.”

The taller reached over suddenly to take his hat back, but Eren gripped either side of it and kicked his legs up. “Don’t kick me, you dick!”

“I told you, you’re not getting it back!”

While the duo wrestled for the beanie, Annie drowned them out and tried to watch the television as best she could. When the two became too loud to ignore, she pulled out her phone to check for messages. Aside from a few emails, there was nothing from the texts she had sent to her parents. Their lack of communication for the past few days was starting to worry her to the point where it was unavoidable now. Her parents had not had a happy marriage in years, for as long as she could remember, but they were unable to divorce one another as part of a series of laws that defined marriage. It was recognized between any two individuals as long as they were of the same sign. Two alike elements were forbidden to marry, and marriage lasted “‘til death do us part.”

“Hey, you went quiet,” Eren remarked with a nudge of his foot against her leg. He had been pulled from his spot and into his boyfriend’s lap, whose arms had tautly wound around his waist to hold him down. “What’s up?”

“Nothing,” the shorter replied curtly, pocketing her phone and turning back to the TV.

“Is it your parents?” Jean asked.

She didn’t respond at first, but when she nodded with a sigh, Eren moved closer to her with a frown. Her gaze remained forward despite the slight falter. “You can talk to us about it.”

“I know,” she muttered under her breath. “I just don’t want to. There’s nothing to talk about.”

“Did they go to that couples therapy you told them about?” Jean wondered.

“Yeah, but it barely worked. They went into the bedroom for ten minutes and then Dad went back to his room.”

“Mm. That’s sad.”

“Don’t worry about it, Annie,” Eren comforted, pulling her in for a hug despite her failing to return it. “Hey—maybe that thing that the Scorpio has planned will help.”

Annie turned to him, bewilderment flashing on her features. “That has no chance of getting off the ground, Eren.”

“You’re only saying that because you don’t believe in it,” Jean remarked.

“Do _you_ believe in it?”

“No. I was just saying.”

“Shut up, Jean,” Eren scolded. “Give them the benefit of the doubt; let’s say they _do_ get it off the ground. Whatever they plan on doing is going to gather the attention of the government.”

“Yeah, and from there, they’ll get shut down,” the blonde murmured, shoving the pair of arms away from her.

“Probably, but it’ll still gain publicity.”

“Sure.”

Eren frowned and turned back so that he was facing the television again. He had lost her attention, but he didn’t want to lose her hope. They had no idea what would happen to the Scorpio’s idea. Who knew if there was even anyone who supported it? His father had been involved in risky business concerning an individual’s tattoos, so desegregation wasn’t foreign to him. However, he did consider it to be a necessary evil that was hard to get rid of.

“If you think about it, you kinda start to feel bad for the guy,” he said. “He took a huge risk and we don’t even know if anyone went with it.”

“Stop worrying about it,” Jean said with a whine. He had leaned forward so that he was resting against his boyfriend’s shoulder, and then nuzzled his nose into Eren’s neck. “It’s not a big deal.”

“It kinda is, actually.”

“Not really. We’re not directly affected by it. Both Aries, both fire signs.” He pressed a few faint kisses along his neckline. “Not affected.”

“Yeah…that’s true.” Eren scooted closer so that he was hovering over his boyfriend. “We have each other.”

“Exactly.” With a smirk, Jean tugged him by the loops of his jeans and gently pressed their lips together. They melded into the kiss, Eren clawing through light tresses as his hips were held down. They eventually shifted so that Jean was on his back, so that the shorter could straddle his waist, and they remained lip-locked, tongues dancing out against each other.

Annie didn’t even bother to look over at them. Just by hearing the sounds and feeling the shift in the couch, she turned off the TV and stood up. “I’ll see you guys tomorrow.”

“Mm—lock the—fuck, Jean!—lock the door,” Eren cried out, moaning at the teeth that nibbled against his neck. “And tell Chloe we said hi!”

“No.” The door closed behind her as she left but remained unlocked.

“Dammit— _Jean_ ,” Eren’s hips bucked at a particularly rough spot that was sucked, “if you bruise it, I’ll bruise it back.”

“Don’t care,” Jean replied before he lifted Eren up and hooked his legs around his hips. He made a quick stop to lock the door as he hurried them to the bedroom, kicking the door shut on his way to the bed. Eren struggled to take off their clothes as they went, only able to get their shirts off before he was tossed on the covers. He pulled the taller back towards him and smashed their mouths together, tracing patterns against his tongue in sloppy kisses.

Even if it was less intimate, and even if his rationality disappeared once their pants were removed and that addicting mouth enclosed around him, there was no shooing away the fact that he was fine—they, he and Jean, were fine. They had no concerns and no reasons to give up a safe environment for those who were less fortunate than they were.


	4. Look-Sees

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The truth is the most important thing they could have.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i finally learned how to post links on Tumblr so now I won't embarrass myself

_No matter who was involved, no matter what was said, group projects were never fun for anyone. Auruo knew from experience—too much experience—that they were a pain, and he believed himself to be in the right when it came to hating them. The other members either abandoned him to do the work or knew each other and tried to do something that turned out to be irrelevant to what they were trying to accomplish. It wouldn’t matter either way; he never put their names on the work._

_He assumed that college would be a different story. Even as a freshman, he thought he knew the game. This was the time of struggling adulthood, filled with self-discovery, free t-shirts, and doing laundry when every single article of clothing smells like week-old sweat. It was thrilling and frightening and stressful, all at once and all intense. Group projects were beneath their level. Shouldn’t that be a given?_

_“Your TA Levi has already broken you all into four groups. And there are only twenty of you, so no odd numbers! You will meet with your group from now until the end of the semester. At the end of the year, in place of a final grade, you will present to me and Levi what you have concluded from your research. For now, with what time we have left, we’ll debate a little bit within our groups and see how that goes.”’_

_At least he could say the professor was trying his best. A class like intro to philosophy was not everyone’s favorite cup of tea. He was trying to make it interesting and easier for the students. If only the same could be said for their TA._

_“You four,” Levi stopped by the group Auruo had been chucked into and handed them a sheet of paper he was apparently obliged to give them, “are the lucky ones. You were the last group I made, so you get whatever I have left.”_

_“You couldn’t add in another girl?” The man beside Auruo asked. Blond, fit, Aquarius. Probably manipulative and had all nine seasons of “The X-Files” on Blu-ray. He had taken off his hoodie earlier so that the squiggle of the blue parallel lines on his right arm were revealed. His hair was pulled back in a type of bun that made Auruo seethe internally. Who would willingly do that to themselves?_

_“Why, so you could flirt with her?”_

_“No, for equality reasons.” He gestured to the girl across from him, a redhead who was looking between them in a silent question. Nice smile, short, Sagittarius. The crimson arrow peeked out from her shirt._

_Levi sighed and tossed a handful of papers in the middle of the table. “Because there’s a majority of boys and I couldn’t have one group of that. Too much testosterone in one sitting.”_

_“Splendid,” the redhead mumbled under her breath as she grabbed a packet. From what Auruo could deduce, they were supposed to debate on the effects of astrological segregation and the worth it held in their society. A relevant topic, but completely elementary. Was anyone even trying?_

_“I think I did something like this in high school,” the Aquarian murmured as he thumbed through the pages._

_“It’s likely,” Auruo said, more distracted and not paying attention to_

_“No, I mean I think I used this exact article.”_

_“I want the positive side,” the redhead declared._

_Auruo snorted; “Come on, that’s the best side.”_

_The glare he received was one he never would have believed she could make, her hazel eyes narrowed in distaste. Clearly, his comment was upsetting (though why he was focused on that, he didn’t know, since it should matter little if his words were offensive or not) and she was not going to take his attitude. She turned to the male beside her: quiet, bulky, Leo. Though the only reason why he knew that in the first place was because of the insignia on his right palm and the dependency he placed in his left hand. His personality was completely devoid of any stereotypes. “Do you mind if we go for the positive?”_

_The Leo looked up when he was addressed and shook his head. “No. Not at all.”_

_“You’re serious about this,” Auruo groaned. “This is a stupid assignment that is just the prof’s attempt to try and make the class interesting for us.”_

_“You’re just complaining because you didn’t get the side you wanted,” the Sag smirked. She was intense, brimming with the kind of energy that sent goosebumps down his arms and scared him into silence. But if she wanted him to fight, he would give her the battle she wanted._

_“Start the timer, airhead.” He let the blond beside him sputter in retaliation as he flipped through the packet to find the start of his argument. “I’m not gonna lose to a redhead today.”_

_“Oh, don’t worry about that—you didn’t have a chance in the first place.” Because she had the affirmative, she was required to speak first. She sat up straight, brushing her hair over her shoulder for good measure as she skimmed over her notes one last time before she began her argument. “Astrological segregation is a must if our country is going to continue towards prosperity and success. We were founded on the basis that it is a necessity to have if we want to make it in the world because it has been the structure of thousands of societies for years now, and taking it away will bring us down. It’s emphasized in our founding documents; what would happen if we took those laws away or changed them? And not to mention, these people have been accustomed to the separations for years now. Do you expect them to just suddenly become used to it not being there like it’s nothing? Because I can assure you right now that if racial integration has taught us anything, it’s that people don’t like to change.”_

_Auruo understood, once she had finished and leaned back in her chair with a proud smirk, why she had chosen that stance in the first place. It was definitely an easier side to go with—everyone knew what to say and it didn’t require much effort to fight for—but even if that was true, she portrayed it differently. The argument she had used was clearly something she had known beforehand. The way she executed her point, the levelness of her voice and the lack of glances she had to the paper that was supposed to act as a guide were all proof that she had heard this argument, at some point in her life. She knew how to counter it—which was the job he was now supposed to do. And already, she had given him entry points on where he could do that. He didn’t even need the packet, and with a clearing of his throat, he put it aside._

_“First off,” he started, leaning forward in his chair, “if racial integration has taught us anything, it’s that segregation of any kind is terrible. People don’t have to like something in order for it to be done. People don’t agree with the ruling on marriage equality, but it was still made in favor of it. And there are tons of laws that have formed this foundation that we’ve improved on because of the times they were created in—abolishing slavery, ensuring their rights, ensuring women’s rights, for God’s sake. And they still get shit for it today. If we can allow that but keep segregation by dates of birth up, we’re no better than a hypocrital politician.”_

_The Sag was quick to respond to him, perched on the edge of her seat. “Astrological segregation is different. It’s not your basic separation of society. Race, sexual orientation, your sex or gender orientation—they’re all a part of an individual’s self-identity. Astrology is only focused on your date of birth.”_

_“And just like everything else you listed, it’s uncontrollable. You think a child born under Aries would want to upset that lineage and be born under Pisces or Taurus?”_

_“Those are bad choices as it is,” the Aquarian snorted, but received double glares and a curious glance, and he shut up quickly._

_“You cannot control your date of birth,” Auruo continued. “How many people do you know who were born on the due date prescribed by a doctor?”_

_“Banning astrological segregation would be as difficult and troublesome as taking away alcohol,” the Sag smirked in triumph. “You think you’re doing good, but in actuality, you’re causing a whole lot of problems that will sanction us into chaos. And if you wanna cause riots and break the people up, then go ahead. It’ll be the last thing you ever see of this world.”_

_He was about to counter her, pointing out how she had gotten off track and even possibly threatened him, but he pressed his lips together and stopped himself. This wasn’t right. The words that he had uttered were nothing but arguments that he was not attached to. They were supposed to be separate for a reason (even if hearing her argument made him realize that he didn’t have a reason, and any one that he could have would be false). How could he have allowed this to happen in such a short amount of time?_

_Auruo let the rest of the conversation fall flat on his ears as the two other males beside them complimented them on their arguments. They introduced themselves—he could barely hear their names, Petra and Gunther and Elk or something like that—but he was too angry. How dare the redheaded mongrel dare to feed him false information and trick him into fighting for a side that she had to have known the arguments for beforehand._

_When class was dismissed, he made sure to discreetly pack away his things and hurry out of the room as quickly as he could. He wasn’t sure if he was caught by the others or if they even noticed how fast he moved away from them. What mattered was that the semester ended in a month and two weeks, and he wasn’t sure if he was going to be able to get through it with_ **_her_ ** _sitting across from him._

 

Chapter 4: Look-Sees

 

Marco hadn’t received any type of contact from his father in two days. He was sure it was a mistake; Gregory Bodt was terrible at contacting others on a consistent basis. It had been a running joke in their house ever since he had forgotten to tell his wife about their son’s broken arm. But at the very least, Marco would have suspected his father to message him with news on the reunion with his mother. The worst that could have happened was that they had decided to stop seeing one another. They had been happy in their relationship, as far as he knew, but what if they were just hiding the bad parts from him? What if they had decided to split when they came together again? They weren’t allowed to marry, so it wasn’t like they had any ties keeping them together. Their only child had left the nest, after all.

Or maybe it was the doing of Ymir. She had always managed to worm her way into situations that didn’t concern her, especially when she didn’t get her way. And judging by the fact that she was currently ignoring him after last night, he wouldn’t be shocked if she had complained to his parents about his reluctance to join her side.

After showering to wake himself up and prepping some cereal, Marco dialled the home phone and waited patiently. His hands shook from fear of what he would discover, but he willed himself to relax. His worries were all based on assumption; everything was alright.

“ _Hello?_ ”

“Dad, hey,” Marco sighed, his stomach churning into knots.

“ _Hey, Marco!_ ” His dad was at least friendly, happy, as he normally sounded. The blank void that had corrupted him for the past five years seemed to have let up, probably to the point of disappearing entirely. “ _I meant to get back to you. How’ve you been?_ ”

“I’ve been fine! I’ve been a bit slammed with school, but other than that, I’m…” He paused at the sounds he heard in the background, mostly clinking dishes but also a distinct female voice that he recognized. “Are you with Mom?”

“ _Haven’t you heard? They repealed the Four Elements Act yesterday. We’re allowed to talk to air signs now!_ ”

“ _Is that Marco?_ ” The woman’s voice reappeared, much closer than before.

“ _Wait a sec, Leia—Marco—_ ”

“ _Give it to me!_ ”

There was some shuffling and the sounds of a struggle before the voice he had been waiting to hear came on the phone. “ _Marco, dear, hi. Your father is fine, just a bruised ego—_ ”

“ _Leia—_ ”

“ _But that’s nothing new. How have you been? How’s college? Has Ymir driven you up the wall yet or is she waiting for the perfect opportunity?_ ”

Marco sighed when she started to speak and shut his eyes. As much as he loved his father, there was something about his mother that he adored. She wasn’t afraid to be silly, but she knew when to get serious. No matter her feelings on a subject, she completely supported him and his cousin. He had truly missed the playfulness she brought to his life, in contrast to his father’s almost philosophical behavior. Gregory provided the rational stimulation; Leia gave him the laid back persona.

“It’s been great,” he admitted, even if it was straining to an extent. “I’m working on my doctorate now—”

“ _Of course you are. I expect nothing less. Go wash the dishes, Gregory, I’m talking to our son._ ”

“Yeah…Ymir hasn’t been too stressful yet, so that’s a good thing.”

“ _Give her a break, Marco. She missed you a lot. We couldn’t be there when you needed us the most._ ”

The tone his mother took, the few times she was actually serious, made him shift uncomfortably on his feet. He felt guilty about the missed calls and the ignored gifts, even though he had only been following the new law. It was bad enough that his mother had joined the bandwagon against him. “Yeah. I know, Mom. I remember. But I got through it.”

Leia scoffed at his excuse. She had always been able to see right through them. “ _Just barely. Are you taking better care of yourself?_ ”

“I’m fine.”

“ _You didn’t answer my question._ ”

“ _Leia, don’t bother him anymore about it_ ,” his father chided from the background, and Leia tutted softly at his protests.

“ _He’s changed, Gregory. Ymir said he’s a different person now._ ”

Marco took a seat at his kitchen and tried to balance the phone on his shoulder so he could easily eat his cereal. “If it makes you feel any better, Ymir already chewed me out for all of that.” Their conversation from last night, Ymir’s complete misunderstanding of his point and his insistence to change her mind, returned in full force. It only resulted in more guilt that he struggled to bite down.

His mother hummed, almost in appreciation; “ _I hope she did. Ymir’s always been good like that—she sends you letters, those special sandals you’ve always wanted—she checked up on you constantly because she worried so much, even if she wouldn’t admit it. Even your father sent letters to us, for Christ’s sake, Marco! We paid the mailman twenty bucks every month to keep it a secret._ ”

“Mom, that has nothing to do with what I was saying.”

“ _But still, I make a good point! If you were in love, you’d understand!_ ”

For some odd reason that almost scared him into silence, when his mother had said that, Marco couldn’t help but think about the Capricorn Ymir had shown interest in. He imagined bringing her home to meet their family, introducing her with a mixture of affection and pride and teasing, just like she would. And when he saw them together, he wondered what would happen if he came home holding the hand of a two-toned-haired male, who scowled at his surroundings but couldn’t hold back an affectionate smile at the sight of his boyfriend—

_No. Stop. He’s an Aries. Arians are bad._

“Yeah. I guess so.”

It would only be another bad decision if he decided to return to his old ways.

* * *

After much searching and an overwhelming amount of reading, Bertolt came across an address scribbled in one of the many books that had been recommended. When he presented it to Armin via a sneaky coffee break, they searched it online and discovered it as the house of Cancer Rene Nakamura, located twenty minutes away from the city in the middle of the Mitras National Park and Wildlife Reserve. It was difficult to see from the online map what type of house they were looking at, but Bertolt offered to check it out and get some answers. Armin, eager to find more on the discovery, gladly helped him devise a few questions to bring up. Historia helped out with the other half, focusing more on why the name was in a book on the like characteristics of certain signs outside of their element. Knowing he would be better off having her with him, since she was the more sociable of the pair, she volunteered to tag along with him, an offer he gladly took.

“If I can be honest with you,” Bertolt spoke up as they drove to their destination two days after finding the information, on an early Saturday morning, “if you hadn’t come with me, I think I would have chickened out.”

“Yeah, I figured,” she hummed. “You probably wouldn’t have left the house without me.”

“Thanks for the encouragement.”

“You’re welcome.” She smiled at the deadpan look she received. “It’s better than what I had planned for my birthday already.”

“I’m still sorry about that—” He began to protest, but Historia shook her head and cut him off instantly.

“Don’t be! I’d rather do this than hang around the apartment. Besides, I’ve never gotten into a fistfight, so it’ll be a good start to my twenty-third birthday.”

“Why would there be a fistfight?”

“She lives in a wildlife refuge surrounded by trees and as far as we know, she has no human contact whatsoever. You never know what could happen.”

“I don’t think that’s enough to qualify her as a psychopath, though.”

Historia shrugged as she pulled up to a half-circle driveway. “Better safe than sorry.”

The driveway led them to a two-and-a-half-story bungalow, the periwinkle shade sticking out against the towering evergreens above. A wide porch stretched out in front of the house, and a white picket fence blocked off a garden that started on the right side of the house and wrapped around the back. It was nice, considering its location and for someone whose address was written in a taboo-esque book. When the duo got out of the car, a curtain on the first floor brushed aside only to go away quickly. Bertolt halted at the sight, hoping it was his imagination, before Historia pulled him along once more.

“Come on, Bert, we’re writing a paper, remember?” She recited their cover in a low voice. “We need to write an article for next month’s entry, and Cancer is the one we need.” She had caught the quick movements as well, and was hoping that whoever it was wouldn’t be a threat. Although she was confident in them for holding their own, Rene had the advantage over them. Not only did they not know this area well, but Historia was smaller than average. And while Bertolt was a giant, he was traditionally timid, a state of mind he was now retreating into. They had to be sure and on their guards.

“What if she sees our necks?” He whispered. Both of their tattoos were covered by their scarves and jackets; they had to take the extra step to ensure that it would be hidden and not lead them to prison.

“Then until we know she’s safe, we don’t reveal who we are.”

They walked up the creaky steps, the taller trailing behind quietly, and Historia knocked on the screen door. There was a shuffle from inside, a collection of harsh whispers that were too muffled to be deciphered, and then the door opened. A light-haired male of average height stood there, the opposite of what they had expected. The dark green tattoo on his left arm close to his elbow, while informing them that he was a Virgo, deepened their bewilderment.

“Hello, sir,” the shorter Capricorn smiled. “Is Rene Nakamura home? My partner and I are writing an article on Cancers, and—”

“No yer not,” the Virgo interrupted. Some words were slurred together, and he lightly swayed on uneasy feet. “No Cap would be assigned a job to write ’bout a Cancer.”

Bertolt gulped nervously and shared an anxious glance with Historia. “H-how do you know we’re not water signs?” He wondered.

“I know a hidden Cap tat when I see one. Plus y’just told me.” He leaned against the doorframe with a snort. “What good is a disguise if yer just gonna give it away?”

The blonde sighed, frowning in disappointment and agitation on being found. Whether he was being serious or not, or just going on a whim, was irrelevant. If they didn’t respond correctly, it could lead them to a confrontation they didn’t need. “Look, we’re doing research on astrological segregation, and he found Rene’s address in a book. We just want to ask her a few questions. And if there’s any way you can help us with that, we would really appreciate it.”

“It won’t take that long either,” Bertolt added. “We don’t have that much to ask, a-and we have other work to do anyway, so it would be great if you could just…help us out.”

The Virgo paused for a moment, looking from one to the other, before he sighed and opened the screen door. “C’min. Go straight ahead to the kitchen. Don’ ask questions.”

As soon as the pair stepped into the house, there was a rushed scrambling of footsteps on the staircase to their immediate right. Both Capricorns stepped closer to try and see what the commotion was, but their host shooed them away towards the kitchen to shut the door before they could see anything.

The small hallway led them to a kitchen that partially melded into a dining room to its left. A small round table was set in the middle of the kitchen, still covered with dirty dishes. A blond Cancer, as told by the tattoo on his right wrist, whistled a tune to himself while cooking what appeared to be pancakes. When he turned to face the duo, he nearly dropped the spatula in his hand and frowned, “Gelgar, what the hell?”

“They’re here about segregation or something,” the Virgo, Gelgar, stated before he grabbed a bottle of whiskey off the counter and took a sip. “I wasn’t paying attention.”

“Isn’t it a little too early to drink that?” Historia proposed.

“Didn’t I say no questions?” He took another long gulp and shrugged. “’Sides, it’s five o’clock somewhere. Henning, where’s Rene?”

“Busy,” Henning responded with a huff as he turned back to his breakfast. “We don’t have guests over, remember?”

“Mike and Nanaba will be fine for ten minutes—”

“Gelgar!”

“They’re not gonna know! Besides, the other four are the ones we need to get rid of. They almost blew their fucking cover.”

A brunette woman, her hair tied back into a sloppy ponytail, appeared from behind them. She wasn’t much taller than Gelgar, but her shoulders were more tense and raised. She was taken aback by the sight of the newcomers, barely managing a smile at them. “Gelgar, what did we say about—”

Gelgar rolled his eyes and cut her off. “Segregation, Ren, they’re here about segregation!”

Historia stepped forward and held out her hand to shake. The hand that shook hers had a Cancer’s insignia on the wrist. “I’m Historia Reiss, and this is Bertolt Hoover. We’ve been researching the history of astrological segregation, and we discovered your address written in one of the books we’re currently using for reference.” The other woman tensed at the mention of the address, but the blonde continued. “We want to fix society and abolish astrological separation for good. And we would love it if you could help us out.”

“I don’t know if I can,” Rene murmured, crossing her arms and gripping the crooks of her elbows with a steel grasp. “I’ve never participated in any of this stuff.

“The address to this house was in the margins of a book that discusses the like characteristics of the twelve signs and why astrological integration could be possible,” Bertolt clarified. “The only reason why it isn’t considered taboo is because the writer claimed it was written as a continuation of their dissertation.” He pulled the book out from the messenger bag over his shoulder and opened it to the bookmarked page that held the address before he passed it to her. “I don’t think someone would do that and say ‘come here in case it gets ugly’ right underneath it, and not be involved.”

Rene was silent for a moment, gaze held by their evidence, and then she sighed. With a small wave instructing them to follow her, she led the two Capricorns to the living room. She sat them down in two armchairs side by side. “Would you like anything to eat or drink? We have tea, coffee, some biscuits—”

“Out of biscuits,” Gelgar called from the other room.

She rolled her eyes. “Henning’s making pancakes for everyone, so if you want to wait for those, that’s fine as well.”

“I think we’re fine for now—we ate before we came here,” Historia smiled, with a nod in agreement from her roommate. “But thank you for the offer.”

As soon as Rene left with a claim to grab her own drink, Bertolt leaned over with a tap on Historia’s shoulder. “There’s a Virgo hanging out with two Cancers,” he began, his voice low as he stole a glimpse behind them. He had a perfect view of the stairs they had passed on their way inside. “How he doesn’t get caught, I don’t know. But they have friends that they’re actively hiding. And the guys in the kitchen were being super weird about it.”

Historia unraveled the scarf around her neck and let it hang freely, but she shrugged at his comments. “Whatever or whoever they’re hiding is probably a big deal. But we need to focus on what we came here to do.” She dug around in her pockets before she pulled out a folded piece of paper and showed it to him: a list of the questions they had written down the day before. “Rene can help us, in some way, so we can get our answers. We can worry about everything else when we get back home.”

Bertolt dropped against the back of his chair with a defeated sigh. “Fine. But if we get killed—”

“Stop talking like that. They’re not going to kill us. This is where you come to hide the bodies, not hide from the cops.”

He was back up quicker than he was down. “You think that helps?!”

“All I’m saying is that they’re not the killing type!”

“You weren’t saying that in the car!”

“Because I’m seeing these people now and I know they’re not threatening. And if they were, they would be more discreet about their secrets than they have been.”

Rene came back with a steaming mug as she sat across from them on the couch. She set her cup down on the coffee table in between them after a sip. There was a moment of silence, however, before she spoke up. “So, where would you like me to start?” She asked with a faint yet unconvincing smile. She was reluctant to talk, unsure of how much trust could be put into them.

“Well, we have some questions that we were going to ask,” Historia remarked. “We can start from there and see where we go.”

“Sounds like a reasonable plan.” The Cancerian nodded, as if she was trying to convince herself to continue. Her eyes, for the most part, stayed down when she spoke.

Bertolt took out a pen and notebook while the blonde Capricorn read off a question from the list she had pulled out earlier. “Your address was found in a book that argues some signs share enough characteristics that warrant desegregation. What type of experience did you have with segregation that brought you to reading it?”

Rene shifted in her seat. “I didn’t actually read it. I worked at the library as an undergrad, and I had a friend who was reading it at the time. He had it on hold, and it was in the rack so he could pick it up, so I…I wrote down my address, because I knew it was the only way I could make sure he was safe without getting as involved as he was.”

“What made you think he would find it?”

“He’s a Scorpio, so he would read there first. When we get our tattoos, we become hyper-aware of what sign we are, so we’re more drawn to read up on ourselves than any other sign.” She scoffed under her breath, and a distant smile rose on her face. “And if he didn’t go there first, I had the page folded over at the corner just in case.”

“Do you know why he was reading it?”

Rene paused, took a sip of her drink, and her shoulders tensed up. She recomposed herself, but she was obviously tenser than before. “Can I start over? Not with my answers, just… It would be a lot easier to put it in chronological order.”

Historia and Bertolt shared a look of acknowledgement and nodded. It wouldn’t hurt if she started from whatever beginning she was referring to. “Whatever helps.”

With a semi-confident nod, the Cancerian tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and started. “Mike, Henning and I were childhood friends: we grew up in the same neighborhood, went to the same school, shopped at the same stores, went to the same college. We told each other basically everything, no matter what it was. Except we…always didn’t.” She took a much larger gulp of coffee this time, lips pressed together taut from the taste, before she resumed. “Mike had a friend named Nanaba. They had known each other for years, just as long as we’ve known him—and we had other friends outside of each other, but this was different. This was…illegal, basically. Nanaba was a Virgo. I wanted to support him, I knew he needed it from me and Henning, but when he told us about her in college, I…I couldn’t…I couldn’t involve myself with those type of people, so I…”

“If it’s hard for you to continue, you don’t have to,” Bertolt stated in a soft voice. When Rene fixed her gaze on him, he smiled reassuringly to calm her. “I think we get the point.”

“Thank you.” Rene sighed, and her shoulders visibly relaxed for the first time. “After…that, I stopped seeing him. I didn’t have any other way to talk to him. Henning tried to help out, but he said that Mike was more…closed off after that. At first, I thought it was because we weren’t talking. But then I saw the book he had on hold in the library, and when I put my address in there, we started talking again. He told me that he and a few others were getting together to sue the government.”

“Wait, hold on,” Historia held up a hand to halt her explanation. “How long ago was this?”

“About five years. Almost six, maybe. What’s the date?”

“January fifteenth.”

“So…six years since we stopped talking, and five and a half since they sued the government.”

Historia seemed too awestruck to continue, so Bertolt stepped in. “Who was suing the government?”

“Mike and Nanaba were friends with these grad students and some others I hadn’t met yet. They all wanted change, and they decided that suing the government was the most effective way.”

“June 2016,” Historia mumbled. “And then right after, the Four Elements Act goes up.”

“I don’t remember anything about a court case before the Act,” Bertolt whispered back.

“I don’t either. And Armin never mentioned it.”

“It’s pretty obscure,” Rene explained. “The guys who got it together weren’t exactly following the rules, which really changed things up. But the media twisted everything around, just like it warps everything else. You only hear about the riots at Mitras University, our old college, that were caused by the court case, but you never hear about the court case itself.”

“Why’s that?” The blonde demanded.

“I’m not sure. It’s probably because they didn’t want the idea running around. At least with a riot or a protest, you can silence it more effectively. You can’t do the same with a lawsuit.”

“So what, they went through with the lawsuit and because of that, we get the Four Elements Act?”

“They lost the case—the jury was rigged, of course, and their lawyer helped them more for pity than anything. But they weren’t all there for the decision.”

“What do you mean ‘they weren’t there’?” Bertolt asked. “They were the ones suing the government in the first place.”

“They knew that if they stayed to hear the decision, they were going to end up in jail, and they didn’t want that. So they went with their plan b, which was hiding at this house. They got there, with a few injuries…” Rene shifted uncomfortably. “They would have been fine if they hadn’t been sold out from the inside.”

“Who sold them out?” Historia wondered. Her question went unnoticed.

“We were able to get away. I made a deal with the police to let us help them so we could hand them over.” She shut her eyes and shook her head, a small scoff falling past her lips. “I got more involved than I ever thought I would. I’m hiding in a house that’s owned by people I can never see again. I risked everything and look where it got me.”

There was something about the emotions flickering in her features—the underlying disbelief and the acceptance of her choices, without regrets—that assured Historia and Bertolt that what they were doing was the right thing. Change was wanted in more than their group of three; it was in the people they passed, the history behind them, and in the people who thought of their ideas before them. They were far from being alone in this, even if it felt like there was little support backing them up. That didn’t mean they were lost, and it didn’t mean they could do it alone.

Rene sighed, her gaze flitting to the clock on the wall above the fireplace mantle. “That’s all I have to tell. Unless you have any more questions that I can answer.”

Bertolt started to answer, but Historia beat him to it. “We’re fine, thank you. Your story was just what we were looking for.”

“That’s good to hear.” A friendlier smile appeared this time before faltering slightly. “You won’t leak that anywhere, right?”

“This is specifically for our research.” The taller beside her was clearly anxious from her lies, as he fidgeted to pack away his belongings, but she ignored it for now. “Nothing is going to be leaked.”

The water sign sighed and slumped against the couch. “Thank you. I think I would have to leave the country if that ever happened.”

Although her comment was unclear to them, there was a rumble of protests from upstairs, and the duo jumped at the banging and muffled yells that sounded afterward. Bertolt hurriedly hopped to his feet and tugged on Historia’s arm.

“We need to go,” he insisted.

“Are those the refugees you were talking about?” Historia asked.

Rene only smiled pitifully. “Your friend’s right. It’s time for you to go.”

* * *

“Bertolt, this is great.”

“Tori—”

“No, it’s more than great, it’s amazing! We have a firsthand account on what actually caused the Four Elements Act! Surely, that’s sure to hit a few places for some people, like the Aquarians and Gemini—and maybe even Connie!”

“Yeah, that’s great, but—”

“And if we can get the Arians and Leos on board, then the government is in for a hell of a change! Imagine if we’re the ones who actually desegregate everythi—”

“Historia!” Bertolt stopped her from opening the car so he could grip her shoulders and shake her lightly. “Slow down! You’re dreaming of scenarios again, and you need to take it easy.”

The blonde frowned at the accusation. “I’m not dreaming anything. This interview is going to help us get them on our side.”

“The Arians are already out, remember? They don’t see anything wrong with it. And the Leos are too prideful to step down to our level.”

“Okay, but if you think about how jealous an Aries can get and how that one Leo was looking at Connie and how the other was looking at you—”

“Historia, it’s great to think that we can get them on our side, and if I thought we could, I would agree with you. But we still have to think realistically.” He released his hold on her and straightened up. “Let’s just get home, compare notes, and then we can talk about scenarios. Okay? That way, we’re safe and we know what we’re dealing with.”

As embarrassing as it was to admit, Historia couldn’t set aside the fact that she had, in fact, been overly optimistic for this new find. Arians were as stubborn as Taureans, and the Leos were just as bad and just as prideful, if not more so. But she still held onto the fact, in the back of her mind, that there was good to come out of this from their sides. Bertolt was right, to an extent; they had to be sure that the interview had not been a waste of time. She simply refused to give up hope. “Alright. Let’s head back home. We’ll look over notes and then contact Armin and see what he thinks.”

Bertolt nodded, shoulders less tense than before. “Thank you.”

“No problem. But if you ever stoop down to my level like that again, I’m kicking you out.”

“That’s fair.”


	5. Voices For and Against

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not everyone wants to play the game.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow fun chapter this is just GREAT I love it
> 
> Two more chapters and then it'll get good :^)

_When he was thirteen, Erwin Smith started babysitting for the Jinn family, a mixed sign household with stressed parents and two rambunctious twins born under Aquarius. One was Emil, who later became Emily, who enjoyed sneaking into their mother’s belongings to mimic her businesswoman attitude. The younger was Eld, who, even at nine years old, thought that battling his babysitter to the death was the most effective way of getting his point across. When Erwin went off to college, he still kept in touch with the twins, especially when they faced issues at home. He had cared for them for a good portion of their childhood and wanted to continue being there for them._

_Eld wound up attending Mitras University for his undergrad, the same college Erwin was going to for grad school. Although this became just something they shared, it became more when Erwin invited Eld out for a walk. A light dusting of snow had descended onto Mitras overnight, coating the campus and the city of Mitras into a winter wonderland. Lately, their conversations had consisted of Erwin’s findings on his father’s work of astrology and what his plans were for continuing it. Eld could only assume that whatever reason they were going out was not for pleasantries._

_“I didn’t think you would join me,” Erwin admitted as they strolled through the soft snowfall and attempted to maintain their balance on non-slippery ground._

_“Why, because I have something better to do?” Eld joked with a smirk. “It’s not like I don’t know why you asked me to come with you.”_

_The older quirked a large eyebrow in questioning. “You already know?”_

_“Well, yeah. You’ve been talking about it for a few weeks now. Hell, you’ve talked about it for years! I knew you’d be crafting something up like this by now.”_

_Erwin sighed quietly, admitting to himself that he had been a bit more obvious than he would have liked. It was only because Eld was one of two people who knew about this beforehand, and they had already established enough trust to prove his reliability. “I’m planning an overthrow of the current law system that is being upheld by our government.”_

_“Whoa there, right to the point!” Eld skipped onto a log off to the side and walked alongside it. “You won’t even buy me dinner first? Just make sure it has vegan options; I respect animals completely, not partially.”_

_“Since you’re walking on a tree right now, I’m assuming that’s a joke. But I would like to work with you.”_

_Eld returned to his side with a hop and rubbed the back of his head, mostly to clear the snow that had started to dampen his hair. “What, like the Fritz to your Frankenstein? The Robin to your Batman?”_

_“I already have a Robin. One’s enough.”_

_“Then why are you asking me?”_

_“Because you understand what it means to break society’s rules.”_

_The Aquarian slowed down, and Erwin mimicked him. The look on his face was not one that he had been hoping for: reluctance, a misunderstanding that he wasn’t hoping for. “This isn’t just society, Erwin. This is the government. They’ll throw me in jail if I’m caught.”_

_“It’s risky, but I believe in you. However, it won’t just be us. I only came to you now because I wanted to stay within the air element before I venture outside of it.”_

_They had resumed walking once more, but Eld slowed as he glanced at the taller in confusion. “What do you mean, ‘outside’ of the air element? Like you’re gonna ask other signs the same thing?“_

_Erwin turned to look back at him. He silently hoped that his decision to make his plan a little clearer at this moment wouldn’t end up hurting him in the end. “I want to file a lawsuit.”_

_“That’s something you don’t hear every day.“ The Libra resumed walking, and Eld hurried to catch back up. “That’s it? Just a lawsuit?”_

_“Just a lawsuit.”_

_“I…” He shook his head, his eyes wide. “I don’t see how you could do it.”_

_“It’s just an idea. We could do a peaceful revolt against the government, but that wouldn’t work as well.”_

_The duo stopped at the sound of laughter up ahead, noticing the source not too far ahead of them. Eld recognized both of them instantly: Petra Ral and Gunther Schultz, both from his group in philosophy. The redhead was jovial, encouraging her companion to let loose and throw a snowball back. Although he was more subdued, the audible chuckles that came from Gunther caught his attention immediately. Eld had learned in the past week that unlike most Leos, Gunther was more introverted, more gentle in his movements. He spoke with a calming tone, one that Eld wouldn’t mind falling asleep to. He had tried to crack Gunther whenever he saw him, to see what else there was, but every time he got closer to finding something new about him, the chance disappeared and Gunther slipped through his fingers. It was frustrating, and Eld was sure he was going to lose his mind if something wasn’t done fast._

_“Do you know them?“ Erwin asked suddenly, breaking him out of his staring._

_“Y-yeah. They’re in my philosophy class. We’re paired together for a group project.”_

_“Are they nice people?”_

_“I think so—Petra’s a firecracker. She can whip out an argument before you even realize what you’re fighting for. And Gunther is…” How could he describe a man who made him lose all understanding of words with a simple glance in his direction? “He’s nice.”_

_“You like him?”_

_“A little. I guess. I don’t know.”_

_“Hm.” Erwin shifted beside him so that their shoulders touched. Eld instantly flinched and backed away as if he had been scalded by fire. “What’s his sign?”_

_“Leo.”_

_Erwin’s eyebrows raised up in shock yet also interest. “Hmm. You’ll have to go big. Probably shiny. Maybe over the top. That’s normally what Leos prefer.”_

_“I’m not going to woo him based on a stereotype.”_

_“Why not? You cried when Emily gave you all nine seasons of The X-Files for your sixteenth birthday.”_

_“That doesn’t count, because The X-Files is the best show ever. This guy isn’t like most Leos. He’s the kind of guy who would probably stay in on a Saturday night reading books instead of going to a bar. If I’m gonna ask him out, I’m go with something subtle. It needs to mean something.” Eld paused in his thoughts, taken aback by how far he had gotten. Just last week, he didn’t even know they shared a class, and now he was planning on asking him out. Too impulsive, too far ahead, even for his tastes._

_A gentle yet firm hand landed a pat on his back. “That’s why I asked for your help.”_

_“Erwin, I don’t even know if he’s interested in men. I barely know him.”_

_“But you would be willing to ask him out, correct?”_

_Eld glanced over at the pair in the snow once more, stomach clenching at the sight he found. Snowflakes clung to dark hair that stuck out in several directions as opposed to its regular swept back style. Olive-toned skin glowed red at the cheeks, cinnamon eyes blazed with life, thin lips grinning with pure glee. It was considered sinful, and it was definitely unlawful. But Eld wanted to see the world that the Leo had to offer, and he was going to take every chance that came his way to accomplish that._

_“When do we start, Smith?“_

 

Chapter 5: Voices For and Against

 

Armin was shocked that anyone at all had been interested in his plan to desegregate society. It wasn’t that he believed his ideas were shared, but it was so radical and above the norm, he understood why only two out of eleven people had agreed to help. Though even two was a high number, and he still couldn’t comprehend how lucky he had been to get their support. He would have to do something nice for them to express his gratitude.

His thanks for them grew when he received a phone call one evening, as he was finishing up school work. Normally, he didn’t answer foreign numbers, but he had looked out for them ever since he had given Historia his number. It was the easiest way to communicate, even if email was safer.

“ _Hi, Armin, it’s Historia,_ ” she said before he could even greet her. “ _Bertolt and I just wanted to check in with you after our interview._ ”

“Oh, right,” he shifted through a few papers on his kitchen table. “How did it go?”

“ _We want another meeting. We can tell you then. How does six tomorrow sound?_ ”

Armin took a seat gingerly and gulped at the sudden proposition. Something about her tone worried him, the grave seriousness churning his stomach. “Did it not go well?”

A pause, a shuffle. “ _We’ll explain more tomorrow. It’s not bad, I promise. It’s actually really good._ ”

“Well, that’s a relief.” He tried to sound more positive, but he couldn’t tell if it was believable it or not. “Do you need my help with anything else?”

“ _Not that I can think of, no. Aside from getting everyone else together. With what we found…there’s no way they’ll be able to hold back._ ”

Armin wasn’t so sure about her confidence, but went along with it regardless. It wasn’t in his disbelief of the Capricorns’ ability; if anyone could get reliable info or accomplish their goals, it was them. His lack of confidence came in the fear that they would be dealing with just as stubborn students as before. They all had graduate work to do—those were the only type of students he was looking for—but at the same time, he couldn’t see why they wouldn’t jump in on this opportunity. This was still college, a time to make change and shape the world to one’s liking. They should want to fix society; they were going to inherit the world ahead of them, after all. Shouldn’t they care more about it?

As he wrote out the next post to the forum, making sure to specify that the first-meeting attendees were the only invites, he couldn’t help but wonder how he was going to get more of their support.

* * *

“So what are you reading?”

It wasn’t every day Jean uttered the words, but it also wasn’t every day Eren was buried in a book and failed to acknowledge the fact that he was on a date. Normally, they would make jokes about the brunet’s lack of interest in reading due to the contrast in his boyfriend’s major, which practically required it. But Eren had barely looked up to eat or talk, and the intensity with which he was reading was starting to become worrisome. The only reasonable explanation for such a heightened focus on the papers in front of him had to be a new scenario he had been given for class.

Eren’s grip tightened on the papers as he tucked them close to his chest. Almost instantly, he was defensively glaring at Jean, who hoped it was an unintentional reflex. “Huh?”

Jean nodded to the neatly-stapled sheets. They looked professional almost; they weren’t his boyfriend’s, for sure. “Did you get a new case?”

There was a moment of hesitation where Eren slowly put the papers in his lap, their content facing him without giving anything. Even with a glance at the back gave away nothing. “Yeah. It’s really interesting.”

“Theft?”

“Yeah, it’s pretty simple.” The teal-eyed Arian focused on his sandwich for the first time he had sat down, and picked it up. His diverted attention allowed Jean to quickly snatch the sheets away from the other side of the table and look at them. Eren barely had enough time to blink. “Hey—Jean!”

“You’re gonna be a prosecutor with the NYPD, Eren. Don’t lie to me.” One quick glance over the front page told Jean what he had been reading, and anger filled him quickly. Eren’s father, Grisha, had dedicated much of his research work as a researcher to the tattoos, specifically brandings, that were associated with each sign and individual. Using his heavy science background, he had found a way to safely remove them and to heal them quickly, but he passed on before it could be presented to the public. For the most part, only a select handful knew the specifics—and Jean’s knowledge on it was limited enough. Eren, the inheritor of his father’s research, had sworn it off until he was out of college, but it seemed he had gone back on that policy. The paper was covered in codes and instructions on how to administer the solution, depending on each sign and element. And judging by his bowed head and wayward gaze, he wasn’t glad he had gotten caught. “What the fuck, Eren.”

“Don’t even start, Jean,” he growled, shooting him a harsh glower. “It’s none of your business.”

“You swore this shit off until you graduated, and after what happened last week, that can only mean one thing.”

“No it doesn’t.”

“You’re going to help him, aren’t you?”

“What if I am? Are you going to stop me?”

“If this gets out—”

“Who said I was going to show anyone?!”

“Why do you have it out here in the first place?!”

“Because I thought I could trust you,” Eren tore the paper out of Jean’s hands and returned it safely to his backpack, “and because I actually believe in that Scorpion.”

Jean groaned and rested his head in his hands. “Eren, don’t do this to yourself.”

“I’ve been thinking—”

“Don’t hurt yourself.”

“And I realized that this guy actually makes sense to me. He’s risking his life and freedom for a good cause, a cause that he believes in, and I _get_ that. I’ve been around this my entire life. And there’s still a chance that we can change.”

The taller Arian kept his head bowed, eyes shut and body still aside from his steadying breathing. Despite the fact that they were similar in some ways—stubborn, always angry about one thing and passionate about another—one of the starkest contrasts was in the lifestyle they preferred. Jean depended on security that was grounded and didn’t move unless it was required. Eren preferred the jumping around and adventuring and the decision to settle when he was satisfied.

Eren’s voice lowered so that he would only be picked up by his boyfriend. “Look, I know you never liked this kind of thing, and I know you want the safe life with a family and a house in the suburbs and a secure job, but I can’t do that right now. I have to do this.”

Jean scoffed and sat up with a shake of his head. The glint in amber eyes reflected nothing but disappointment that Eren couldn’t, and refused to, comply to his needs. “You’re a suicidal maniac. You know that? I don’t see you coming out of this alive, and it’s the most terrifying thing I’ve felt.”

“I’m okay with that, Jean. I know what this means for me.”

“And I don’t?”

Teal eyes narrowed for a moment before Eren leaned in and harshly whispered, “I know you lost your mom, Jean, but I think you like to forget that you’re not the only one who’s out here alone. My family’s only been you and Annie for four years.”

Jean was shocked that the words were out, and the look of fury and grief was evident of that, but Eren knew it had to be said. A week or so before Hannukah just a month before, while they were cleaning up the house to decorate, his mother had fainted and never woke up. There was no warning, no precursors, no signs that could have stopped it. Her heart simply gave out, and her death broke Jean. He hadn’t had a father figure in years; his biological one had never been around. There was one aunt in Boston, but they weren’t close, and there were no brothers or sisters for him to depend on. Jean’s mother was one of the best aspects of his life, his only blood relative, and losing her was like losing a part of him. The depression he had dipped into wrecked him for a good few days, and it still lingered at the edges of Jean’s being. Eren understood, not just because of his father’s death edging on four years, but because he had lost his own mother when he was ten. He had gone through a similar tragedy, even if it had been as a child. It was still hard for him to talk about to that day, nevertheless.

“You know that was uncalled for,” Jean mumbled under his breath. His eyes were glassy, his jaw clenched in the type of manner that could only be recognized as fighting off tears.

“I’m sorry if it hurt you,” Eren said back in a voice just as soft. Despite how gentle he was being, it still brought out a flinch from his boyfriend. “But I need you to understand that I will still be here for you even if I do this.”

“Tch. No you won’t.” He held up a hand before he received a disruptive protest. “You get really involved in your work, Eren. If you do this, I’m going to lose you.”

“Well, I’m promising you now that it won’t happen.” He held out a hand across the table, wiggling it as an invitation when it wasn’t filled. “I swear I won’t leave you behind.”

Jean was still reluctant, seeing as he was slow to entwine his fingers with Eren’s, but once he did, his hand was pulled forward and pecked gently by soft lips. That was one thing he couldn’t fight a smile back for, and he ended up loosening his resolve just a little to show his thanks with a small quirk of his lips.

“If you break this,” he warned, “I reserve the right to kick your ass.”

“Only if you kiss it first,” Eren grinned with a wink.

“I’ll see what I can do.” The teasing remark resulted in more kisses, and an eventual tug over their lunches into awaiting lips that easily brought out soft bubbles of laughter. Jean wasn’t known for being a continuously happy person: it was his personal philosophy that happiness was only reserved for specific people. Anyone who got the chance to witness a smile was lucky; it didn’t happen often, and it wasn’t ever easy. But Eren had helped coax it out of him, one step at a time. They followed through with it, and other forms of emotional expression, in a shared method of togetherness. If they were going to face an obstacle, they were going to do it together as a united force, just like they always had and just like they always will. That, Eren was sure of, was one thing that could never change.

* * *

The forum post had been seen by the eleven individuals involved, with instructions to meet up once more on Monday night at six. Marco was reluctant to go, and he had tried to create plans that would make him unavailable, but nothing was working out. It didn’t help that Ymir had called and demanded that he bring her coat before he left, since she had left it at his place and needed it. He wondered if she had done it on purpose so that she could have a surefire way of guaranteeing his presence. Ever since last Tuesday, at their first meeting, her insistence to join their forces was the heaviest that he could ever remember.

When he arrived at the meeting place, the same location as last week, Marco hesitated on going inside. The Scorpio was sitting in one of the chairs at the oval desk, reading something or other with Mikasa beside him. She seemed to be interested in whatever he was talking about, but it still bothered him greatly. Mikasa was basically his cousin at this point, and he was saddened to see how easily it had been to pull her in. At the very least, neither of the Aquarians had said anything to him about their disagreement or their decisions. Maybe it was easier to avoid the problem, or to not tell him at all, but it still caused a bitter lump to rise and lodge in his throat.

A flick at the back of his neck warned him of Ymir before he found her tugging her coat out of his hands and standing beside him. She looked at the two in the room and then back at her cousin with a shrug.

“He’s really not that bad,” she admitted with a hum. “The Scorpion is actually nice. And he knows what he’s doing.”

Marco sighed and shut his eyes. Better to get it over now with than avoid it for later. “Have you talked to him about joining his side?” He asked.

“He and I already made plans about it. And then Mikasa came, and I remembered you had my coat, and you know the rest.”

Marco grimaced and turned away from the door. He tried to keep his gaze anywhere but at her, but in the end, he couldn’t avoid her. “I’m still not happy that you’re going through with it.”

Ymir scoffed. “When did I say I took the offer?”

It took a moment, but the male whipped back around to face her. She was smirking at him, arms crossed and expression teasing. “Wait, what do you mean? You didn’t go along with him?”

“Mikasa did. I’m gonna wait for a certain freckled menace to join me.”

With a gulp, the taller shifted back, as if to leave, but the freckled female grabbed his wrist and pulled him back towards her. “Ymir, please, I don’t want to do this—”

“Look, asshat,” Ymir sighed dramatically, “I’m not gonna say this again, because it’s bad enough I have to _show_ you that I care. I’m a terrible person. I know it, and you know it, and Mikasa knows it. And you’re wasting your time caring for me and my wellbeing. So I’m gonna waste my time caring for you, and I’m gonna wait for you to get on our bandwagon, because I’m a good cousin and I think you should come along with us and destroy the government, just like old times.”

The bitter lump in his throat only increased, and he felt tears prick his eyes. This was the last thing he had wanted to happen, especially after that confession. From her, it was the closest thing he could get to sincerity without a wall in place. “Ymir, I appreciate that, I really do, but I’m never going to join him. I _can’t_.”

“Yeah, I thought about, but then I remembered that you don’t just give up like that. There’s still a piece of you that wants to fuck everything up as much as I do. Hell, this is probably the approach that _you_ would take, not me! But I gotta wait until that piece of you is awake and ready. And it’s going to happen.” She poked his chest for good measure as she brushed past him. “Mark my words, Two-Face.”

And with that, she strolled into the room and announced her return loudly to the pair, leaving her cousin out in the hallway. She wasn’t the best person to be around, since she enjoyed getting a rise out of someone and pushing their buttons until they broke her fingers, but she had a soft spot in her. There were times when she thought of others before herself; he just had to let her do it on her own. The thought of rebelling against society was frightening, and every fiber in his body refused to accept that it was okay. But maybe that was just his past speaking to him. He knew it wasn’t okay, of course it wasn’t, and yet the actions of the government were just as wrong for separating their citizens by their astrological sun sign. He was starting to lose sight of why he really was protesting his cousin’s efforts. And if that was true, he wouldn’t be terribly shocked if he was convinced and switched sides soon.

Group by group, the rest of the signs from last week appeared in the room and took their seats. At first, there had been tension between the Leos and Arians, and a fight nearly broke out between them, but it was put to rest with a plea from Armin to wait until after the meeting to argue. After, the trio turned back to one another for conversation, and Sasha and Reiner bugged a withdrawn Connie instead. There was a high amount of reluctance in them being there, and the reasons were unclarified by the very person in charge of all of this. The Capricorns, the last to arrive despite their request for the meeting, only increased the tension, Bertolt shutting the door and Historia bounding down the steps, her arms full with books.

“Everyone’s here, so whenever you’re ready to start, you two can go,” Armin stated.

“Great!” Historia grinned and dropped the books on the tabletop. “We found out a lot just from our one trip the other day.”

“Where did you go?” Connie wondered.

“Well, Bertolt found this address in a book we were reading from the research Armin gave us, and when they looked it up, they found this house about two hours from here in the middle of the national park and wildlife preserve. Bert and I drove there the other day, and we met with these fugitives who were involved with the Four Elements Act five years ago.“

“Involved as in they wrote it?” Jean asked with a raised eyebrow.

“It’s more like they were the cause of it,“ Bertolt corrected. “Apparently, the riots that are pegged as the reasons for the Four Elements Act were caused by a lawsuit by a few students from Mitras University.”

“But it wasn’t _them_ , per say,” Historia clarified. “These guys were more like associates. They were involved, to an extent, but they weren’t part of the actual lawsuit.”

“Then why are you telling us this if they were just ‘associates’?” Annie sneered, using air quotes with the last word.

“Give them a break, blondie,” Ymir stated. “They just started talking.” She gave a wink to the blonde Capricorn, who turned away from her instantly.

“The woman we talked with, Rene, she said that she knew some people who created the lawsuit that sued the government for unlawful segregation,” Historia proceeded. “It didn’t work, but they only went with the lawsuit because it would bring the government’s attention to them, and that was what they needed.”

“Is this the same Mitras that closed down five years ago?” Eren wondered.

“Apparently. And everything from Mitras merged with our university here, which is how we found the address.”

“But for years, all anyone’s talked about is the riots in the city,” Armin mused quietly. “There’s never been any mention from the media about a lawsuit.”

“They didn’t want the ideas to spread,” Mikasa said. “Riots and protests can be silenced, because they’re not as organized or meticulous as a lawsuit. And a lawsuit means that people are thinking critically about what’s going on.”

“But if the media didn’t bring it up, how can we know for sure that they aren’t lying?” Sasha wondered.

“The media lies all the time,” Marco replied. “If something’s bad enough, they’re willing to cover up the real reason so that no one else is inspired.” It looked as if he would continue, but he pursed his lips together when the room’s attention turned to him, and he fell silent.

“What Marco’s trying to say,” Ymir continued for him with a ridiculing glower for her cousin, “is that the media can’t be trusted. It’s run either by the government or a big business that has its own ties to the government. A majority of what we hear on TV or see in the paper is twisted.”

“We’ll have to look at records of previous court cases to see if it’s true or not,” the taller Capricorn spoke up, “but judging from the reactions of the other residents, she shouldn’t have told us what she did. That way, we can be sure that it’s valid.”

“Do you have a manuscript or recording from your interview?” Armin asked.

Bertolt passed the notes he had taken over to him. “I could try and find if there are any court cases in the other books, but we’ll have to go back to the library if we just want the records.“

“I can get a hold of some,“ Eren offered with a raise of his hand. Jean tensed beside him, but Annie whipped around to face him. “I have access to a ton of records because of the law school’s library.”

“You’re kidding, right?” Annie growled.

He shot her a glare just as fierce. “No, I’m not. I want to help.”

“I already tried, Annie,” Jean butted in. “He’s not going to budge.”

The Arian woman leaned back in her chair with a huff, and didn’t continue further.

“Can you really get those records for us?” Historia inquired.

“How soon do you need them?“ Eren wondered.

“As soon as possible,“ said Armin, standing as if he was in a hurry and moving beside the Capricorns. “This discovery is big for us, and it’s important we take advantage of this opportunity when we can. If we can figure out more about what happened there, we can avoid the mistakes they made.” He glanced up momentarily at the others. “In the meantime, while the three of us figure that out, is there anyone else who wants to join?”

Mikasa was the only one who raised her hand. Ymir looked over at Marco, but he only stared at his feet sheepishly. “I’m getting there,” she said with a scowl when the Scorpio glanced her way.

“We would join,“ Sasha began, “but we have a lot on our plate right now, so—”

“We all know you two don’t give a fuck about this,” Annie interrupted her. “So stop acting like it’s so unfortunate that you can’t help because you’re _so_ busy doing other things.”

“What do you know?” Reiner frowned. “You can’t just accuse us of this out of nowhere.”

“I’ve been around enough Leos, and _you_ , to know how they act. If you’re gonna help, just say that you are or you aren’t.”

“We aren’t!” Sasha snapped.

“Then stop coming here.”

“How about _you_ stop? You hate it just as much.”

“It’s none of your business why I come here. At least I’m not flirting over my boundary lines.”

“The only boundaries are the ones you make between other people,” Historia said in a low voice. “Clearly, you have a connection to something tragic if you keep on showing up.”

Annie’s eyes narrowed, and she started to stand. Eren reached up to pull her back down, but he was swatted away. “Didn’t you say last week that we should stay out of each other’s business?”

“I wasn’t accusing you of anything. If I’m wrong about it, you can tell me, and I’ll apologize.”

Historia half-expected her to answer, to prove her wrong, but Annie clenched her fists and narrowed her eyes at her. This woman was tough, but she wasn’t denying her statement. “Mixing signs outside of the elements is ridiculous. Why everyone can’t just stay with their sign is beyond me.”

“You can say the same thing about race, you know,” Mikasa pointed out, a soft-spoken yet strong voice among the tense residents of the room. “I should stick with Asians because I’m half-Japanese.”

The comparison struck a chord in her, but she didn’t back down. “That’s different.”

“Maybe we should segregate everyone by gender while we’re at it as well. After all,” she stared up at the blonde with eyes as cold as steel, twin thunderstorms almost daring her to challenge her, “everyone should just stay with their equal.”

This time, Annie had no comeback, and fell speechless. Instead of protesting or coming up with a new stance, she simply sat back down and sulked in her chair. Mikasa raised an eyebrow at that, and when no one decided to speak up, Armin finally cleared his throat and turned to Eren.

“So, ah,” he scratched the back of his neck, “are you going to help us out with the books?“

Eren fixed his gaze on the Scorpio before turning to the two Aries beside him. “I… I don’t know. I don’t want to cause another pro—“

“Just do it, Eren,“ Jean sighed, his head falling back and his eyes shut. He looked exasperated by the arguments the two other Arians were getting themselves into.

Eren rolled his eyes. “No, because you and Annie are gonna be pissed at me.”

“It’s fine if you don’t,” Historia spoke up. “I’m sure there’s something about it in one of the books we have.”

The brunet started to speak, but a tap on the shoulder from Jean and a silent plea to stop prevented him from doing so.

“Well, if you don’t have anything else to ask about, you can leave,“ the Scorpio announced. “You can leave your emails with Bertolt and Historia if you want us to reach you so we don’t have to use the forum anymore. Mikasa, if you can stay after, we can give you the books and highlight what to research.”

The groups dispersed and began to leave, Connie waiting outside the room for the Capricorns. Ymir had tried to stay behind, interested in what Mikasa was being given, but Marco’s insistent tugging on her hand pulled her away from the scene. When only the four of them were behind, Armin turned to Mikasa, prepared to hand over a few books to her, but he was hesitant to do so completely.

“I know we discussed this before, but you really want to join, correct?”

“If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be here,” she answered, and took the books herself. “How much should I read?”

“Just the page numbers or bookmarked sections. Anything else is up to you.”

“We can give you our notes to help, if you want,” Historia offered.

“No thanks.” She headed for the door. “Are we still meeting Wednesday?”

“Yeah, Twelve Drummers, upper floor, at noon,” Armin confirmed. “If you can’t make it, we can reschedule. Call my number if you need anything.”

“Thank you.”

The blonde Capricorn plopped down in a chair once she left and let out a long sigh. “I really did think that we would get more people after today,” she admitted as Connie poked his head in. “I mean, we’re not the only ones who wanted this. There were at least four others who wanted to fix society like we do.”

“Some people just aren’t into it,” he sighed. “I guess they’re just comfortable with how things are.”

“The Leos mentioned you guys earlier,” Connie spoke up suddenly. He hadn’t come down to their level, but he stayed on the landing. “They gave you props for doing this stuff.”

“Did they say anything else?” Bertolt wondered.

“Not related to that, no. But they were still really chill about all…this.” He shrugged and looked away. “Just thought you should know, since it was, y’know…weird. How they’re acting and what they said. I thought they would go for something like this by now, but I guess not.”

“Well, if they do change their minds, I would still love to have them,” Armin said, and offered a small smile to Connie. “The same for you too.”

The Taurean gulped and shook his head. “I would, b-but—”

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

“No I do! It’s just—I’m not really big on the whole change thing. I mean I want to, don’t get me wrong! But it’s just…hard.”

“You had a hard time with the Four Elements Act, too,” Historia pointed out with a sympathetic smile. Connie only grumbled something unintelligible under his breath. “Do you want to go out to eat?”

“…maybe. Only if you guys are paying.”

With a gentle laugh, she and Bertolt gathered their things and walked their friend out the door, Armin trailing slightly behind. “I can get back to you on the lawsuits by tomorrow,” Historia offered.

“You can wait until Wednesday,” he assured him with a smile, shutting and locking the door. “It’ll probably be easier on us anyway.”

And with a final goodbye, they went their separate ways, already planning for the days that were ahead of them. They might have grown in their numbers by one, but there were at least three of them that had shown interest in joining. At this point, it was all a matter of working on that trio of fire signs and possibly getting a chance to convince the others to join them. They had to prove that these concepts were far from new, and they were only continuing the work of those before them. Maybe, if they could do that, they could get somewhere.


	6. Extended Membership

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone wants in on the new trend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What makes this chapter so great is that everyone literally feels left out and wants to join lmao

_“Hey, you, be careful with that! I’m not paying you to break lightbulbs!”_

_“I’m not getting paid for this.”_

_“You’re_ **_not_ ** _?! I’ll have to complain to the union about that!”_

_“We don’t have a union.”_

_“Well then we’ll make one. Moblit, dear, have you started working on the set yet? I need to figure out where to put the stage so we can get the mariachi band in the right place.”_

_Mitras University, unlike most universities, did not emphasis segregation as much as most colleges due to a strike from professors in the 1950s that allowed interracial and astrological mingling. One of the events that celebrated this, and one that was anticipated by students, was the masquerade ball. For one night, students pushed aside the segregation laws and came together to dance, enjoy themselves, and meet people they would never have a chance to talk to otherwise. Some ended in one-night engagements, with no further interactions the next morning. Though there were the times where something was more intimate, proceeding past the ball and even past their years at Mitras._

_Senior Hanji Zoe became the director of the ball that year after the first one broke both legs and the second dropped out of school. She had worked with the masquerade’s committee since her freshman year, but had never headed the project herself. But this year, she had hit the ground running on the first day of production two weeks prior. Her attitude may have startled the others working on the ball, as an extroverted Virgo was a rare sight for some, and her ideas were eccentric and different, but Moblit Berner, a Pisces and her personal assistant, helped out with that. They had never met in person due to their differing signs, but he was somehow able to understand where she was coming from in a creative sense._

_“This is getting so exhausting,” she sighed with exasperation, one hand against her forehead and the other gripping her clipboard tight against their chest. “Moblit, get me a latte. Foamy, milky, and light milk chocolate.”_

_“I think the last thing you need is caffeine,” he mumbled as he doodled on a sketch pad. He had barely looked up from his drawing since she had stopped by, even when she specifically called him out._

_Hanji scoffed and hopped down to the step below him. “Are you kidding? I eat caffeine for breakfast!” Noticing his attention was on something else, she peeked over the edge of the sketchbook to look at what he was working on. “Ooh, you art so well! I like the Versailles references—” She gasped suddenly and tore the paper from his hand, much to his dismay and protest. “Are you referencing Poe’s ‘Masque of the Red Death’?!”_

_“Can I have that back, please?” Moblit attempted to grab it back, but Hanji held it out of his reach._

_“You even have the stage in the center! That hasn't been tried here before in all of Mitras’ history!” With an excited squeal, she whipped back to him, nearly smacking him in the face with her ponytail, and grasped his shoulders so hard that he winced from the bruising grip. “We have to do this. Right now, get everyone to stop what they’re doing and start working on this!”_

_“But I’m not even fi—”_

_“We’ll work on that later! For now, I need_ **_you_ ** _to get everyone on the right track, or else there will be no masquerade next month!” She handed him his outline and lightly tapped his behind with her clipboard as he headed back to his spot. “Go get ‘em, tiger!” A familiar figure caught her eye at the entrance to the old gymnasium, the location for the masquerade, and she dashed to him with a whoop. “Leviii! Just the shortie I wanted to see!”_

_Levi glanced over at Hanji as she bounded over and instantly eyed her cautiously. He was probably already suspicious of what she had to ask him, but it didn’t matter. She rushed over to him regardless, almost tripping over a string of lights as she did, but she caught her balance in time._

_“Did you take your adderall this morning?” He questioned with a quirked eyebrow. “You’re more eccentric than usual.”_

_“I’ve been working all day,” she panted with a grin, “and I’ve only had six coffees.”_

_“That’s enough for one day, I think.”_

_“Usually, I have eleven, so it’s actually a surprise I haven’t crashed from dehydration!” Hanji brushed herself off and shrugged. “Besides, we just got the supplies for our stage, and I haven’t been able to sit down and breathe for five seconds because all the ideas I could put out are overflowing and they’re unstoppable, Levi! You can’t get rid of the creative bug!”_

_“I can tell.” He snorted in partial disdain as he was forced to follow her prancing form back to the center of the gymnasium. “I need to ask you something.”_

_“Hmm,” Hanji twirled around to face him, a finger on her chin in thought, “you’re not with Erwin, but you’re more subdued than normal. And I’m attractive enough, so you must be horny.”_

_Levi squinted at that. “I just saw him, Four Eyes. I don’t need to know where he is.”_

_“So you want money? No, Caps don’t ask for money. You want a hug? A shoulder to cry on?”_

_“I need advice, but if you’re busy—”_

_“No, no, I can multitask!”_

_“No you can’t.”_

_“Sure, sure, watch!_ Moblit! _Make sure the stage is a perfect 360 degrees! See?”_

_Levi looked just as unimpressed with her performance as he normally did, but Hanji figured it was just part of his natural look at this point._

_“You have two weeks to pull this together,” he stated._

_“That’s only, like, four hundred hours,” Hanji scoffed with a light laugh. “I’ll be okay!”_

_“You’re falling apart right now.”_

_“Pff, says who? Moblit, who hasn’t had any alcohol in his hand since seven this morning?”_

_The Piscean glanced up from his work in alarm and shook his head at the two standing above him; “Please leave me out of this.”_

_“Just tell me what it is, Levi,” Hanji whined, tugging on his hand before he swatted it away._

_“I’m leaving,” he scoffed. “Pretend I was never here.”_

_“If you don’t tell me, I’ll use your phone to break up with your boyfriend.” She held out his cell phone—how she had gotten it was a mystery—and smirked proudly at him. Levi, a murderous glint in his eyes, yanked hard on her ponytail in retaliation, and she yelled at the pull. “Fine, fine, fine! Don’t be rude!”_

_The shorter took his phone back and scrolled through it briefly to check for any damaging text messages. “I’m a TA for an intro to philosophy class this year, and a couple of the kids in there are getting closer than I thought they would be.”_

_“Is someone pregnant?”_

_“_ No _, Hanji.”_

_“Then what’s the problem? No, put the curtains over there! We need to see if they fit the rods!”_

_“The problem is, I think they’re starting to fall for one another. The other day, an Aquarius was trying to flirt with a Leo.”_

_“Did it work?”_

_“I don’t know. He was smiling and answering him.”_

_“Aww, that’s sweet!”_

_“They don’t even share the same element, and you think they’re cute?”_

_Hanji shrugged and flipped through a few pages on her clipboard. “I mean, do you think you’re in a place to do anything?”_

_“I don’t know, Glasses, that’s why I came here. Would you intervene?”_

_“Well,” she sighed, putting her weight on one leg and looking off into the distance, “if I was in your place, dating the Libra Captain America, with a best friend who’s another element as me and hangs out with different signs, then no!” When she turned back to him, he was hanging his head and rubbing his temples, which only brought out a cackle from her. “Oh come on, they’re fine! They’re just kids—no, those are the same colors! I said magenta and_ purple _! If they fall in love, what can you do to stop it?”_

_“That’s why I came to you, until you proved to be a useless piece of shit.”_

_“Look, I know it’s probably morally conflicting, but if you do something against them, wouldn’t it be hypocritical? I mean, technically, according to research, your sign and your boyfriend’s would be the worst couple ever paired together—”_

_Levi turned back around and headed for the exit. “I’m leaving. Forget I ever said anything.”_

_Hanji blinked after his retreating form, but waved to him nonetheless with a grin. “Tell Erwin I said hi!” Moblit stood and handed her his complete model of the stage, and she eagerly tore it from his hands with a grin. “Thank you, thank you!”_

_“Is he always like that?” The Piscean answered with a glance towards Levi._

_“What, with a stick up the ass? Yes, always. He got better, but only because the stick was taken out and replaced with a well-hung gay man.”_

_“How lovely.”_

_“I know right? They’re a cute couple—Adrian! Don’t force it in! Go gentle! Moblit, will you stop him before he hurts himself?”_

_Even amid the stress of planning a ball and the minor distraction, Hanji still couldn’t see why anyone would want to force society apart. Perhaps it was because she and Erwin, despite the one-year age difference, had grown up with that material all their lives. At least the ball encouraged people to step over their astrological boundaries, if just for one night. That was the most she could ask for._

 

Chapter 6: Extended Membership

 

On Wednesday, two days later, Mikasa was the first to arrive at the agreed destination. She picked out the farthest table, lodged in the corner, and placed her books on top. She waited for the others, sipping her drink casually and ignoring the angry glare and concerned glance that came a few places down from Ymir and Marco respectively. It was surprising that the freckled female had stayed loyal to her cousin's choices; she practically owned the characteristic of being selfish. But Mikasa couldn't help but wonder if that was part of a bigger plan that she had in mind. Marco would eventually get guilty for holding her back and cave in to her demand.

Bertolt and Historia were next, chatting with Connie as they walked up the stairs. When the Taurean noticed Mikasa, he frowned and fell silent mid-sentence. The attention of his friends drifted from him to the woman he had focused on.

“Oh, hi,” the shorter of the Capricorns greeted with a smile as she and Bertolt walked over to her, leaving their friend to choosing a table on his own. “It's good to see you, Mikasa.”

“Same for you,” she stated with a nod. Armin came up behind them just as they sat down, and she gestured to her roommate and cousin sitting a few tables down. “I hope you don't mind an audience. They're going to ‘lowkey listen in’ on everything.”

“No, not at all,” the Scorpio shook his head as he dug out a manilla folder and a few more books from his bag. “I hope you don't mind me bringing more for us to read. I think these were really going to help us come up with a plan.”

“Are these the volumes you were telling us about?” Historia asked in disbelief, handing one to Bertolt upon request. “We saw these online, but they're brand new. I didn't think they would be available so soon.”

“I was lucky, I guess; I got them just as they came in. One book for every sign.”

“Congrats,” Mikasa hummed before she pulled out her notes. “I read the books you gave me and took the best notes I could. But some of the readings were difficult to understand.”

Armin chuckled nervously with a sheepish grimace. “Yeah, that’s partially my fault. It’s the most recent writing I could find that wasn’t biased.”

“If it helps,” Bertolt added, “we even had a hard time studying it, and we’re history majors. We should be used to reading stuff like this.”

The Aquarian pondered on it briefly before giving a half-hearted shrug. “It helps somewhat.”

“So, what did you discover from all of this?” Armin asked, all books empty from his backpack as he finally sat down.

Mikasa paused, setting down her cup with a frown. “I didn’t realize how many people have been persecuted per sign…and for how long it’s been going on.”

“Not to mention how the trials and segregation in England inspired the Americas to separate as well,” Historia pointed out. “They went on for days. And some of the records say the consequences shamed the Salem Witch Trials.”

“But the earliest colonists came here because they wanted to escape from that persecution. Why would the founding fathers not desegregate the colonies after they fought for freedom from England?”

“There aren’t a lot of journal entries on it,” Bertolt started, “and you have to read through a lot to get to that part in history, but from what I’ve gathered, they were going to do it at a later date. John Adams talks about doing the same thing for slavery, and then adds in desegregation of the astrological signs. They were probably planning on doing it and never got the chance to actually go through with it.”

“But back then, it wasn’t as strong as it was today,” Armin added. “They were actually allowed to work and talk together, but they couldn’t marry, live together, or even use the same goods and services. Back then, you had to sign up for a time to go and get what you need.”

“What made them change it?” A new voice asked, and the four turned to see Connie, food in hand, anxious yet curious. His belongings weren’t too far away from where he was currently standing. When the attention turned to him, he almost shied away, but dropped his food on the table and explained himself. “It was better back then, in the 1700s, so how come they enforced more laws?”

The Scorpio turned to face him better, but he glanced back at the others. “Well, uh, during the American Civil War, the southern states had really enforced it into their constitutions, and they used it as an agreement during the peace treaty: if the rest of the Union accepted complete astrological segregation, like they had, then the south would allow reconstruction to a point.”

“Of course, there was the civil rights movement in the 1960s,” Historia piped in. “But anything astrological was virtually ignored.”

“And after that, it starts a downwards trend,” said Mikasa. “There aren't as many reported lawsuits in the media, from what we’ve read, but if we can get access to court records, we can see just how frequent they’ve become since then.”

Connie nodded, discreetly tugging a chair over so that he could sit down. “So, uh…how many people died exactly? A-and which sign suffered the most?”

Historia pulled out a stack of papers and handed it to him. “Turn to the last page,” she instructed. “It should give the death count when astrological segregation was first introdu—”

“Over fourteen thousand for Taurus?” His jaw dropped and he looked at all four to find their reaction. “How did they… How _could_ they…”

“You’re a stubborn piece of shit, obviously,” Ymir stated from over his shoulder, and he jumped in his chair.

“What the hell—give a guy a warning before you do that!”

“The Aquarians and Leos are high, too,” Marco observed from his other side, eliciting the same reaction. "Though it's not much of a surprise."

“Stop doing that!”

“Are you guys…interested in what we’re doing?” Armin asked. The three, though at different times, had appeared at their table with high interest in their study session. And although Ymir and Connie had showed some sort of investment in the topic, the Gemini had been more than reluctant to join, going so far as to try and force his cousin away from it. Now, it seemed like all three were intrigued enough to jump on board, and if that was the case, the Scorpio was more than happy to invite them along.

Marco gulped nervously and straightened up, already walking backwards to his seat, but Ymir tugged him back towards them. He yelped in protest and tried to break free of her vice grip.

“This preppy go-getter couldn’t keep his eyes and ears out of your conversation the entire time,” she smirked. “And when Bully over here came over to you, he hopped on over here to listen in.” Historia stifled an amused snort behind her hand.

“I didn’t hop,” Marco frowned. “I was just interested in what you were saying.”

“You’re a history major too, right?” The female Cap asked.

“Mm, yeah, kinda. I-I mean, I am, but right now I'm getting my doctorate, so…”

She nodded in understanding. “I’ve seen you before in one of my classes. Your report last semester was really good.”

The Gemini smiled bashfully, and he straightened up a bit. “Thank you. It wasn’t anything like yours, though—”

“Hey, stop flirting,” Ymir sneered, mostly directing her retort to her cousin. “I’ve been waiting too long to get into this circle because of you, and I wanna get to work!”

“I wasn’t flirting—” He turned to the blonde, red-faced and suddenly embarrassed, a quick contrast from his previous behavior. “I’m sorry i-if it came off that way. I swear I’m not interested—”

“Don’t worry about it,” Historia chuckled. “I’m not interested either. Boys don't really do it for me.”

If Ymir seemed a little eager than normal to hear that, she hid it very well, for she pulled up a chair and sat right down, as if nothing had been said. Mikasa, however, having known her for years, could see it underneath the facade that she was thrilled to hear this new fact.

“So are you guys gonna teach us or something?” Ymir wondered, propping her feet up on the chair her cousin was about to use. She smirked at him triumphantly before booing him for pushing her feet off.

“Well, we technically could,” Armin hummed while he shifted through papers. “I mean, we have enough to help out.”

“I'm up for it,” Historia offered, and Bertolt nodded in return.

“I bet we can use the whiteboard over there to make a timeline,” he observed, gesturing to said board with a nod.

“Yeah, so we can explain everything visually as well.”

“You should probably take notes as well, though,” Armin advised with a nervous laugh. “It’ll really help with a better understanding on all this.”

“Are we gonna have to read these things too?” Ymir asked with a tap on the books beside them.

“Probably. You can read whatever you want, but you might not have to take notes on it if you get it well enough from here.”

“Hm. Makes sense.” She reached over to steal a sheet from Mikasa and a pencil from Historia before she leaned back in her seat. “Let’s get started, then.”

* * *

The meeting of the quartet had easily turned into seven people, and once they were through or had completely dispersed due to classes, the three newcomers were finally sold on joining Armin. Connie was still hesitant, but, as said by Bertolt, it was natural to feel that way at first. That and most of the Taurean’s hesitance to change had been replaced by a passion to avenge the fallen, especially upon thinking that members of his family could have suffered. Marco was equal in fear—he stated that following rules had always been his particular focus, even if Ymir and Mikasa rolled their eyes and skirted around a larger secret—but with more knowledge on the subject, he was more than willing to finally contribute.

Ymir was fired up from the moment they started, unable to stop asking questions or observing each scenario. It was almost forgotten that she had chosen her cousin over this, and the guilt could be seen on the Gemini’s face whenever she made a helpful contribution to the conversation. But with their recent commitment, it wasn't a thought they had on their minds. The seven all decided they needed something to express their beliefs to the government. Once they had access to court records, it would be easier to accomplish, as they could see what had been tried before, especially in regards to Mitras University. For now, they planned on working together sometime soon to map out a more concrete plan.

So Armin scheduled another meeting for them, using the emails he had received a few nights back to contact everyone. For six of them, all he had to do was send the plans for the upcoming Friday. But there were still five who had gone to the meetings and had decided not to participate, even if only two of them had given him their emails. They were the only ones Armin had failed to recruit, and it only spurred him on to change their minds. Because of their awareness of his group’s actions, he was anxious that they would leak his secret and everything would fall apart. He needed their support, no matter how long it would take him to get it.

Regardless, he sent the emails to the two whom had failed to join their said. It explained what had gone down and asked once more if they would be interested in talking so they could help out. Sasha’s response had been bad, stating how offended she was at being excluded from these type of things. Even though she and Reiner hadn’t agreed to joining him, they still wanted to talk to him, two-on-one. She asked for a good time and even copied Reiner’s email with her reply.

Eren had a similar reaction as Sasha’s to what had been done to him, minus a direct response. He stormed into his apartment Thursday afternoon and found Annie in the kitchen, books strewn across the coffee table and a whistling kettle on the stove. Normally, it wasn’t a shock to see her in their apartment before either of them were home. She had no roommates, and as much as she loved her dog, it was hardly the same.

“Where’s Jean?” He snapped, tossing his backpack to the ground and startling the silence.

Annie shrugged, “Probably at the library. Why, you need a fuck? Because I just got settled.”

“No, it’s not that.” Eren pulled out his phone and opened up the email. “This is from Armin.”

“Who?”

“The Scorpio running the rebellion group. ‘Eren, I know you turned down my offer before, but—” The blonde turned away from him to dig through the cabinets above her. In retaliation, he slammed the door shut, banging her head against the edge.

She swatted at him in anger, her hand grasping the side of her head. “You little shit!”

“Karma’s a bitch.”

“Hey, you forgot to lock the door again,” Jean called out as he walked in, glasses still on and holding a brown bag with a donut shop’s crest in the center. Any other time, Eren would have been ecstatic to see the surprise of one of his favorite bakeries, but the arrival only made his blood boil more.

“Control your fucking mutt,” Annie grumbled. “He's out of control.”

“Who, Eren?” He started to smirk, but it quickly fell when he noticed the fury on his boyfriend’s face. “Sweetheart, what happened?”

Ignoring the pet name, he started to read what he had been cut off from before. “‘Eren, I know you turned down my offer before, but I have talked with the others and we are getting closer to reaching a solution. If you still want to help, I would be happy to schedule a time to talk with you about joining.’” He looked up at Jean for a reaction, discovering a scowl and a long, drawn-out sigh. “There's more to it, but that's what’s wrong.”

“I thought we talked about this. Remember? You said you were cool about everything, and how you were gonna let this go?”

“I never said anything like that, Jean. _You_ were the one who thought that, not me.”

“Okay, but you seriously need to let this go. This is starting to turn into an obsession, and it’s not healthy for you. First you bring up your dad’s papers, and now this? Where is this gonna take you?”

A low growl emitted deep from Eren’s throat, and he stepped closer to Jean so that they were inches apart. “I know you’re a selfish prick, but trying to hold me back with you is only going to hurt us. You tried this in high school and it didn’t work out then.”

Jean shifted at the accusation, and his eyes narrowed. “What the hell are you—”

“I want to do things that make me feel good for once instead of following your example! I’m my own person, with my own feelings, and my own needs! And I’m not going to be guilted into going along with you because you want me to and not because you’re genuinely concerned about my well-being!”

“I _am_ fucking concerned about your well-being! Don’t even suggest that I’m _not_ , Eren!”

“Then start _acting_ like it! If you can’t support me, then maybe you shouldn’t be with me!”

Jean’s expression changed from anger to shock in a heartbeat, his face suddenly pale and his entire body still. Eren was still heaving in breaths, glaring up into amber eyes with no mercy. He knew what he had said, and he was nearing something close enough to his breaking point. After so many years of dating, he could feel that chapter of his life slowly sealing shut, and it scared him. Arians might not have been known for holding romantic relationships, but he knew that theirs had been something truly important. He had imagined marriage with him once, but now that image was just a blurred memory of what they had once had. And he wasn’t ready to shut the door for good.

“I know that hurt to hear. But I don’t want to lose you because you can’t let me do my own thing. ‘That kid isn’t supposed to be held down’, remember? Isn’t that what she used to say?” The pitiful whine, almost inaudible, from the taller was enough of an answer on the level of inappropriateness he had hit. “Okay…maybe that was a bad example, bu—”

“Are you going to see him?” Jean suddenly asked.

“Probably. I’m gonna try and get him before his meeting starts.” He noticed the small nod, the hesitance behind the movement. “Why?”

Jean gulped and admitted in a voice that was too small and pitiful, “I’m going with you.”

A part of him softened at the statement, the genuity behind it and the approval he had been wishing for. It was almost too good for reality. “You don’t have to.”

“I want to. Th-that’s how I can support you, right? That’s how I can fix things…right?” When he received no answer, he stepped forward and grasped Eren’s shoulders in earnest, fear dancing in his stare. “R-right?!”

The shorter gently removed the hands, mouth turned down in a frown. “I don’t even know the answer to that, Jean. How do you fix something like this?”

Jean hesitated, as if pondering on the options that he had. “Do what you want to me. If it takes you fucking me senseless—”

“No.”

“You can tie me to the headboards if you want, I don’t care—”

“Jean, no. Stop.” Eren gripped his arms and moved him away, but not before dragging his hand down to rub his thumb over the scarlet tattoo located on his right wrist. “It’s not about sex. This is something deeper than that. This is what separated us at college, remember? You wanted to go to Trost, and you wanted me to go with you, but it wasn’t my thing, and I had to stay close to home so I could take care of my dad. We both want different things. It’s just a matter of how far we’re willing to go for what we both want.”

And without another word, Eren gathered his things from where he had thrown them, and he barricaded himself inside their room. He knew that he would be okay in a few hours, maybe even less, but for now, he needed to clear his head. Even if that meant letting down his guard and allowing the tears to fall, if it made him feel better, he was all for it.

Annie had stayed, unfazed, throughout the entire thing and did a good job at keeping them both separate and occupied. She checked on them in their respective locations, bedroom and living room, and even made them dinner before she had to return home and wind down for the night. With a final goodbye to them both, she left the duo to their own devices. Jean shuffled around a bit in the kitchen before he appeared in the doorway, a donut and napkin in one hand and a milkshake in the other. His courage and confidence left him there, as it was Eren who got up to take the treats and set them aside on the dresser.

“How many did you get?” He asked in a low voice.

“A dozen,” Jean mumbled, looking away and scratching his cheek. “I didn’t mean to make you feel that way.”

“I know. Doesn’t mean it didn’t hurt any less.”

The taller grimaced, and he reached one hand out only to pull it back just as quickly. “How can I try to make it up to you? O-or at least start on it?”

Eren wanted to say that he still had no idea if there was any way to repair the cracks. Their interests were in different things, and it wasn’t something that could easily be covered up by temporary solutions. But with Jean standing in the doorway, looking so lost and pleading for a path, he smiled faintly and wrapped his arms around Jean’s waist gently. He could satisfy him for now. “You can start with this.” Eren pulled him down for a kiss, and Jean took it in greedily, curling his fingers inside dark locks and practically melting in his arms. It was the farthest they went, however, for as quick as it had started, it was over just as fast, leaving him wanting more but also in understanding. Just like everything they did, they would do it together, step by step, inch by inch.

Eren only hoped, as their hands entwined and their sighs deflated, that being together wouldn’t be what tore them apart.


	7. Taken by Surprise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The best way to silence someone is with a kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love this chapter only because shit goes down and it's the one where the romantic interests really start to pick up :^)

_Gunther had known for a long time that he was strange for a Leo. It wasn't a hidden secret; seeing his tattoo and matching it to his attitude wasn't hard, and neither was seeing the stark contrast. His family knew about it and understood to an extent, and despite their eccentric attitudes, they were alright with it. As long as their son was happy, he was free to be as introverted as possible. There were enough issues he was going to face as he got older, particularly pertaining to race. The last thing he needed was worrying about how extroverted he was being._

_It was the third week of working in his group for philosophy that he realized how they were becoming closer than what was government-permitted. He knew Petra from high school but not well enough until college, but even then, they got along great. Auruo's snide remarks and childish antics that enticed her were always enough to provoke her, and because of it, Gunther couldn't help but feel guilty for breaking them up and bringing their focus to something else. They were so painfully interested in one another, even Levi had noticed it. Even as the TA of their class, he liked to spend a little more time around them despite their reassurance against it. Gunther always wondered why he lingered but never pursued the confrontation._

_And then there was the Aquarian Eld, the goofy blond who liked to sit backwards in his chair and always seemed to be talking about something. Just the thought of him sent Gunther's head whirling with confliction. He was addicting, no matter where he was: those brown eyes, that booming laugh, the subtle smiles and smirks that always appeared with a small tilt of his head. And even more appealing was his behavior, specifically when it was the two of them. Eld always found a way to worm his way into his day and talk to him. He was a conversationalist, and a good one at that, who weaved sentences and brought amusement at least once to every conversation he was in._

_But when he talked to Gunther, he struggled to speak, stumbling over words, avoiding eye contact, nervously stammering. It especially did him no good when the obvious flirting kicked in. But nonetheless, it was all uncommon except towards him, and it enticed the Leo to find out more about him. It was how they had ended up bonding more, and it was how he accepted Eld's invitation to help out with some schoolwork in one of the study rooms on campus. Even if they were just going to go over a few things, it was still a guaranteed sighting of his obvious admirer._

_Though when he arrived at the meeting place, he was not greeted by a sight for studying. The square table in the room was covered with a burgundy tablecloth, a few “candles” and a collection of tulips in the center, and a picnic basket beside it. Said blond stood behind the farthest chair, his hair halfway pulled back in its typical bun, cinnamon eyes locked on the newcomer. How Eld had managed to do all of this, just for him, amazed him, and it only added to the forbidden aura of it all. The air was thick of it, that sense of danger and rush of adrenaline that he couldn't contain. As introverted as he was, and as much as he wanted to be a good role model, Gunther wanted more of that feeling._

_“Well, this is a weird study date,” the Leo joked lightly, and Eld straightened up immediately. “I didn’t know you needed culinary for chemistry.”_

_Eld laughed, anxious and quick, and he rubbed the back of his head. With his hair free, the strands brushed against his shoulder, bangs dusting over his forehead. It was something akin to a god, but his words barely matched the persona. “W-well, heh, yeah, ah,” he stuttered, “it might have been a bit of a stretch, on my part. And it was a total lie, and I didn’t want to, but I really didn't have any other choice—”_

_“Don’t worry about it.” He smiled reassuringly, and he swore he saw the blond sigh like a love-stricken teenager. “I like the ambiance.”_

_“Well, I heard I’ve always been a master of ambiance, so it works for me!” Eld grinned, seemingly back to himself as much as he could be._

_The Leo resisted an eye roll and chuckled instead. “Yeah, you’ve really proven yourself with that lately.”_

_Before much else could be done, the Aquarian was ushering him in before he shut, and thankfully locked, the door behind him. “Is there anything I can do for you? Like, uh, take your bag or coat or something?” When he received a denial, he hopped to the chair, unfazed, and politely pulled it out for him. Gunther couldn't help but smile at the hospitality, thanking his host for his manners._

_Whatever this was for, Gunther was truly enjoying it._

_“So if you didn’t want to study,” he began as Eld scurried over to his side of the table and emptied the basket, “what did you want me here for?”_

_The blond shrugged and placed two glasses and napkins beside the plates already laid out. A red tint had lightened up his face just a fraction. It was a little endearing to see how embarrassed he was getting. “I don’t know what it is,” he admitted. “I just wanted to have lunch with you.”_

_Gunther eyed the sandwiches he unraveled halfway and slid onto the plate. “With peanut butter and jelly?”_

_“I figured ramen was too stereotypical to the palette.”_

_He laughed at that, and Eld nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound before he filled their glasses with soft drinks. The Leo hadn’t seen anything like this before; he hadn’t ever had someone who had fallen so obviously in love with him before. The Aquarian was speaking precisely, tiptoeing cautiously around words and forming phrases with hope that they were worthy of being spoken. Perhaps it was all up for interpretation, but Gunther knew for certain that Eld was trying too hard so that everything was perfect. And that was something he could only pass up as admirable._

_Eld sat down and shifted in place before he sat down. His anxiety, for a brief moment, was written all over his face, a clear image of the thoughts running through his head. But then he cleared his throat, and it was gone, swallowed by Aquarian suppression._

_“I know how illegal this is,” he sighed, hands fiddling with the napkin beside him, folding it back and forth repeatedly. “A-and I know we should really be looking into dating people with our signs—if you’re into dating. But I’ve tried that before, and it never worked for me. And I’m not willing to go through that all over again. I mean sure, I could go to jail for liking someone outside of my sign. But it's worth it because it means I get to see you and…that’s really cool.”_

_It was sappy yet almost pitiful, ending with a relieved sigh and sad smile from Eld, as if he had been waiting to say that but feared for a negative reaction. But there was something affectionate about the confession, something that twisted and pulled Gunther's stomach into tight knots. This was someone with genuine feelings and emotions for him, and it was an honest surprise how he had gone through the trouble of planning everything before him. He was terribly inexperienced—how was he supposed to respond?_

_Cautiously, as if doing so would disrupt the atmosphere they had created, Gunther took a bite of the sandwich before him. A perfect amount of both spreads, not too heavy and not too light. It was satisfying. It helped level out his thoughts and straightened up his pondering._

_“Are you gonna say something?” Eld suddenly asked, his hand done with the napkin and now curled in on the edge of the table. The other had gone to toy with a strand of hair. “Because it would be great if you could, y’know, respond?”_

_Gunther paused for a brief moment and let the embarrassment take its turn flooding over him. “Sorry,” he said, setting the sandwich down. “I’m not really sure how to respond to that.”_

_“How come?” The fright was back in full force, still trying to hide beneath wide eyes._

_He shrugged. “I wasn’t actively looking for someone before. I didn’t really date in high school. Just a few…” There really were no words to describe them, no possible way to express the temporary nights in hotels and bathrooms, trying to get off before they were discovered. “Flings. That’s all.”_

_The tension in the blond dimmed only slightly. “But there wasn’t anything long-term?”_

_The conversation was far from foreign to him, after the stereotypical “why aren't you dating yet” scolding he got from his parents. But this was something different. Eld seemed almost appalled by these facts, as if it was the farthest thing from what he had been expecting. “I guess I just never found them. I mean, people date with the intentions of getting married someday, and I…I just never found it.”_

_“Well…” Eld hesitated, eyebrows furrowed down as he chose his words carefully. “What if there’s someone right here who wants to be that person?”_

_Gunther's brow raised, and he took a quiet sip of soda to hold off his answer. If he was interested, why didn’t he just say so? Everything set up was his idea, after all. The “study date,” the lunch, even making the first step to talk to him—it started with Eld. Why wasn’t he making a bigger move already?_

_“If he’s right here,” he finally answered before his silence drove the Aquarian insane, “then maybe he should make the move.”_

_Eld frowned and straightened up. “Maybe he’s afraid of fucking up because he wants this to be perfect,” he stated, his tone sharp with impatience. “And he doesn’t want to say the wrong thing and scare him away, because this is important to him.”_

_“Then he should just say it. If it’s not perfect, that means it’s real, right?” He glanced down at his drink, and cleared his throat. The least he could do, despite his introverted tendencies, would be to convey his mutual feelings for him in the easiest way possible. “The soda is flat.”_

_Eld only took a few seconds to gawk at him in shock before he was surging forward and grabbing either side of Gunther's face to smack their lips together. It took him by surprise, and he tried to regain his bearings, but he found no reason to keep them when the kiss deepened. If he was going to delve into this, he was going to get lost in it. He grasped the Aquarian's shirt and pulled him closer so that he was on the table, and any opposing obstacles were pushed aside to accommodate room. Eld slinked forward and ran his hands through the slicked-back locks. They broke apart momentarily so that he could straddle the Leo’s hips, but they were kissing just as fiercely as before. Gunther reached up to clutch the fallen golden strands, to find something to tug on, but his hands were pinned down to the chair’s armrest and his lower lip was being nibbled on quickly before they pulled apart again._

_“That’s for teasing me for so damn long,” Eld mumbled against his lips, smirking at him with satisfaction and underlying mischief._

_Gunther snorted at the retort and leaned forward to capture his lips once more. “This was your idea in the first place,” he countered with a wiggle of his hands, still firmly held down. “So really, it’s your fault for taking so long.”_

_At first, with bright eyes and red lips and the curious tilt of his head, the Aquarian didn’t understand what he was referring to. However, once it clicked, he laughed under his breath and shook his head. “No, not just today. I’ve been waiting to kiss you for a long time.”_

_“Well, if that was the case, then I would have said ‘yes’ a long time ago.”_

_“Bastard. Don’t tease me like that, or else I’ll feel like a failure.”_

_“Don’t think like that. Today, you accomplished two things. One,” Gunther shifted so that their hips brushed together, and Eld stiffened above him, “you got me here with you. And two,” with a final writhe, his hands were free and he grasped onto the longer locks with a smirk, “you showed me just how in tune with your emotions you really are.”_

_The Aquarian failed to gulp back a moan, and he wasted no time in capturing his lips once more. As scarce as he had been in relationships, Gunther knew there were some things he could accomplish, even if the hair-pulling was just a guess. He was inexperienced in the actual concept of a relationship, but at least he had the more sexual aspects down. That was something he was sure of in his abilities._

_Eld broke it up with butterfly kisses, trailing to his cheeks and jaw before tracing up further. His hot breath danced against the shell of his ear, a teasing lilt that was heavy with a hidden lust. “If that’s the case,” he whispered, “I would love to see how soft-spoken you can be.”_

_Gunther shivered as Eld moved down between his legs. “It sounds appealing.” He leaned back more to give him better access. “Try and impress me then.”_

_As the gentle hands caressed the growing bulge in his pants, eventually freeing it from any hindrance, Eld chuckled and looked up at him with a smirk, eyes shining more than ever with a teasing joy. “It would be my pleasure.”_

 

Chapter 7: Taken by Surprise

 

The day of the next meeting was, on several fronts, an interesting turn of events. Eren and Jean, still hoping to improve after their argument the previous night, agreed to go at around six to catch Armin before his meeting started. The Leos, on the other hand, were the only expected guests outside of the group of seven, and had planned to meet with Armin thirty minutes before the actual meeting started. Unfortunately, due to his class schedule and the distance between locations, Armin wouldn’t be able to get to them in time, so Bertolt volunteered to be there instead. Historia and Connie both suggested it was because of a certain individual, who was the first closest match to his towering height in a long time, but the denial was quicker than Bertolt would have liked. There was nothing in it for him; he just wanted to help out a friend.

Though Bertolt had to admit, even if it wasn’t out loud, that he had been wanting to see the Leo once again. Their talk at the first meet had been pleasant, even if Reiner had done most of the talking, but after that, seeing or getting to talk to each other was scarce. And it wasn’t easy to find the time to chat; both of their signs had obvious tattoo location, so interacting in public was out of the question. It would have still been nice to see him, though, and saying that out loud would certainly warrant some teasing from his friends, so he kept it to himself. It was his business, after all, and he was allowed to choose what he told them and what not to say.

“Try not to make out on the tables,” Connie called out as he and Historia headed off separately. Because they didn’t have to be there for a while, they were going to get dinner in town and bring him something while he met with the Leos.

Bertolt sighed as the two left before he could respond, and he walked into the Old A&S building, the overwhelming presence of paint and dust now becoming a regular thing to his senses. He greeted the workers who were finishing up for the day, taking the stairs to the second floor two at a time. Armin had already given him the key to the room they used for meetings yesterday; he said he was working on getting copies made for him and Historia, though how he would come around to doing that, he wasn’t sure. He tried to move his books aside so he could pull the key out of his pocket, but a sudden hand moved them out from under his arms, startling him and causing him to jump back.

Reiner held up a hand as if to ease him, the books held close to his chest with one arm. “Just me,” he smiled, and Bertolt found himself tensing immediately. He was too early. He wasn’t supposed to be around. Bertold hadn’t even prepared himself.

“H-hi,” he greeted nervously, and he fumbled for the key to unlock the door. _Play it cool, play it cool, play it cool—_ “U-um, I wasn’t expecting you for another fifteen minutes.”

“Yeah, ah, Sash is busy with grad school stuff, so she told me to go ahead and wait for her here.” He shrugged nonchalantly, looking away. “Figured I could help you out or something.”

“Yeah, that sounds good.” He found the lone key and unlocked the door quickly to avoid an awkward standoff. When he reached for his books, however, the blond shook his head, his grin growing.

“I got it!”

A nervous bubble rose in his throat, and Bertolt tried to retrieve them once more as they walked inside. “Y-you don’t have to do that, really.”

“It’s no problem.”

“I don’t want to be a bother—”

“You’re not.”

The taller, frowning, reached one last time to get his books back, but Reiner held them out farther away from him. “Reiner—”

“Aww, you said my name.” His smile dipped slightly into a teasing smirk. “It sounds nice when you say it.”

Bertolt flushed red, and with a final huff, he backed away from the blond. As hard-headed as Capricorns could be, Leos could match it and then some. They were going to get nowhere if they kept at it. That and he had more important things to do than to joke around and act childish.

“What, you don’t wanna play anymore?” Reiner teased with a proud smirk as the brunet walked away from him.

“I have other things to do,” he said, pulling his laptop out from his bag and sitting down, away from his company. “Some of us actually do things focused on rebelling against the government.”

“Ouch. I didn't know Caps were this harsh.” He put the books down on the table a few spots away and skimmed through some of the pages. “Actually, scratch that, yes I did.”

Bertolt resisted an eyeroll, reminding himself to be as polite as he could and not to lash out at him. “That’s your opinion on us, and I respect that.”

Reiner barked out a laugh and set the book down so he could walk over to him. “Geez, I didn’t think you guys were _this_ stuffy!” He hopped on the table so he could easily look down at him. Bertolt wondered if he was doing it to hide the difference in height. “Pull the stick outta your ass and live a little bit.”

He spared him a quick glance—a glower, really, riddled with irritation—as he plugged a flash drive into one of the open ports. There were a few documents that were too large to print out but were still good reference, along with a separate page of notes that he needed for the meeting that would start in ten minutes. “I don’t have a stick up my ass.”

“That’s what people who are in denial say.”

“And why’s that? Because I’m not as extroverted as you?”

“You’re extroverted!”

“How?”

“You’re talking to me.”

He scoffed. “That’s not being extroverted. It’s being polite because you’re talking to me. I don’t normally waste my time with people like you.”

As he returned to his search, trying to organize the notes to their documents as best he could, he noticed that his words had stopped Reiner in his tracks. He enjoyed the short peace and quiet, save for the almost-silent tapping of the mouse pad, before his laptop was pushed slowly shut on him. He had to move his hands out of the way or else have them flattened by the pressure from the lid. Looking up, he made contact with a false smile and harsh hazel eyes that had lost all mirth in them.

“And what is it exactly,” Reiner murmured, “that ‘people like me’ do that makes you so snippy?”

That was the moment when Bertolt forgot about his caution and went with his gut. He had tried his best to be as nice as he could, but it was too tiring to try and compete with the Leo’s enticing behavior. “People like you aren’t that considerate when it comes to people who are different from you.”

“Considerate?” He hopped to his feet almost instantly. When the Capricorn stood up with him, he flinched at the difference but kept his head held high. “And what, you're the martyr who suffers from people who are being honest and trying to help someone out?!”

His eyes narrowed. This was the last place he wanted to go with him today, and if neither of them was going to stop anytime soon, it could only end badly. “First off, I don’t have a problem with being honest. I have a problem with people whose inflated egos make what they call ‘constructive criticism’ sound like insults.” Reiner scoffed at that, but it didn’t stop him from continuing his tirade. “And second, I never said I was a martyr. I was trying to suggest that you be more open-minded than you have been.”

Reiner’s jaw dropped, clearly shocked by the accusation. “I’m open-minded!”

“You assumed that people talking automatically makes them an extrovert! If I was an extrovert, you would know my life story by now!”

“That doesn't even make _sense_.”

“It actually does. If you took the time to think about it—”

Reiner pointed accusingly in his face; “You did it again!”

“Did what?!”

“You can think I have an inflated ego or that I’m close-minded, but if that’s so true, then you degrade to people who can’t do what’s so simple to you!”

“That's not true!” Bertolt tried to step forward, but a hand against his chest prevented him from moving. He swatted the hand away and moved closer; one of them surely had to snap soon, right? Only then could they finally stop this pointless bickering.

“You haven’t even been listening to how hypocritical you’ve been sounding, have you?”

“I'm not a hy—”

“But Capricorns need to be _so_ perfect, don’t they? They need to have perfect grades and a perfect life and a perfect job, and if something goes wrong, all hell breaks loose, because everything needs to be perfect!” Reiner scoffed and shook his head, eyeing the taller up and down. “Y’know, I thought you guys were different, but now I can see you’re all the same old boring people with different faces that no one in their right mind would want to be around, because all you would do is ruin their lives with how _dull_ you come acro—”

Bertolt silenced the Leo by shoving his lips onto his, cutting him off mid-word and preventing any further sounds from coming out. As soon as he heard how quiet he was, and he noticed how close those hazel eyes were, he released him and simultaneously stepped back. Reiner stared at him in shock, wide-eyed as bewilderment replaced his anger. The taller could feel his heart racing against his ribcage, beating harshly and cutting his breaths into short intakes and curt exhales. His hands twirled into dark locks, but he released them before he could tug on them and turned back to the table, gulping down the wave of nausea that threatened to triumph over him.

“Please leave,” he whispered. Neither of them moved, and he spared a quick glimpse at the shorter to see why he hadn’t moved yet. Reiner was staring at him intently, eyes narrowed in concentration. The flecks of light still peeking out from the January evening intensified the different shades of bright greens and dim blues in his eyes. Regardless of that, he made no effort to head to the door. “I said leave.”

“I heard you,” the Leo stated in a flat voice. The serious tone churned the Cap’s stomach further, and he was nearly convinced that he was going to be sick. “I'm just not going to do it.”

The nausea returned once more, and one hand had to grip the chair closest to him to maintain his balance on two feet. "If it’s about your meeting with Armin, I-I can come up with a cover story—”

“Don’t avoid the subject.”

Bertolt gulped and shuffled uneasily. He wasn't going to get out of this.

“Why did you kiss me?”

“I-I-I didn’t.” Reiner’s eyes narrowed even further, and he found himself whining in embarrassment. “I-it was an accident, okay? Let’s just leave it at that.”

“No.”

“There was nothing behind it, Reiner! Do you care about what it meant? I only did it to get you to stop talking! What do you want me to do, say that I'm into you?”

The Leo frowned at that and took a step back. This time, the serious facade was broken by the other’s words. “You aren’t?”

Bertolt opened his mouth to answer but no words came out. Since he had first met the Leo at Armin's first meet, he had never been able to form a solid opinion on him. There was a side of him still dictated by society that understood he was off-limits, in all ways. But those thoughts were quickly starting to be swamped by the growing involvement of their rebellion. He tried to keep an eye out for Reiner whenever he could. His mind still raced with their first conversation: how friendly he was, how bright his smiles had been, how the subtlest of movements had scattered butterflies in his gut. And yet after hearing his earlier rant that caused the hasty kiss, he still didn't know which path to take.

“Those things you said about Capricorns,” he eventually answered, his voice a low wispy sound, “they’re so close to the truth.”

“What are you talking about?” He inquired with a tilt of his head.

“Look, Reiner, y-you really should go—”

“Bertolt.” Reiner’s voice was firm, arms crossed defiantly. “I'm not going anywhere.”

It was surprising how much his confidence had wavered in a matter of minutes. Weren’t they just arguing before? Bertolt whined once more, but this time it was accompanied by a rush of jumbled thoughts. “What you said about Capricorns wanting to be perfect all the time and always being so boring and that no one wants them is all true, no matter how much I deny it. I-I know at the end of the day, there are always going to be better people to choose from, and I know it only makes me hate myself a little more for being the way that I am, but that’s what happens. This is how we are, a-and no amount of self-loathing is going to fix it.”

“Bertolt—”

“I'm sorry for kissing you, okay? I-it was wrong, a-a-and I wasn’t really thinking, and I should’ve asked first, but you were so frustrating, and I haven’t been able to decide how I feel about you yemm—” The same pair of lips that he had silenced now paid back the favor, quieting him in a single lean forward. Bertolt’s gut lurched when he recognized the contact. “Mm—wha?” He pulled away with a bewildered stare, trying not to panic or revel in the pleasant tingling of his lips. “Why did you…”

“I learnt from the best,” Reiner shrugged, and his smile returned, genuine and gentle. “I didn’t mean the things I said. It was just one of those heat-of-the-moment things. And I didn’t mean for it to upset you.”

A faint smile appeared on his face despite the situation. “Is that your way of apologizing?”

“Hey, I’m trying here. You take what you can get.”

Bertolt laughed quietly at that, and the expression he saw light up Reiner’s features startled his rational thought back to life. He barely even knew this person, with a friendly smile and exotic eyes that held more colors than were known, and they had already kissed twice, both times without apparent romantic reason. And just a short while ago, he had been fighting with the same individual. He wasn’t sure what was right and wrong, and he was conflicted on what to do about his situation. “I really don’t understand what’s happening.”

Reiner shrugged, one hands reaching over to take hold of his. His right palm, embedded with the Leo's scarlet symbol, ghosted over the green tattoo on the taller male's neck, a color that was shamed in comparison to his forest green eyes. Bertolt allowed him to move closer, his insides churning and his own hands trembling from the anxiety welling in his chest. He had never been successful in the field of romance, either because he had never been able to speak to anyone long enough to ask them out, or because he always messed something up, in the long run. But now, something akin to that chance was there, and his lack of experience frightened him.

“How about we just don’t talk about it?” The blond mumbled, and he stepped closer. Their lips were barely touching now, teasingly tracing over his. “Don’t worry about anything else. We can talk about the details later.”

Bertolt sighed, almost tempted to have a third kiss in the heat of the moment (and he laughed quietly at how ironic the thought was, after Reiner’s apology), but he shook his head. “I haven’t done this in a long time. I-I haven’t even—”

“Just try it? Give it a chance before you hate on it?”

His conscious screamed to turn back, to not let this fire starter convince him of anything. Though he was sure that Reiner would back off if he asked or didn't truly want this; he just seemed like that type of person. And perhaps the Leo could see more than he was letting on. He could interpret the intentions of the Cap’s message and understand them to avoid any embarrassment from his end. Or maybe Bertolt was starting to let his guard down around this complete stranger that made his heartbeat double, and it was going to come back to bite him.

Deciding to let go of rationality for now—because what bad could really come of this?—the Capricorn shut his eyes and gave a single nod. When their lips met, initiated by Reiner, all tension seemed to dissolve from his body. Excited sparks shot through his nerves, especially at the contact of firm hands that gently pulled him closer by his hips, coarse and strong. Bert shivered at the skilled fingers that snuck up his shirt to skim tan skin, and his arms wrapped around Reiner’s neck for leverage. And when the kiss deepened, both males opening his mouth for him, the Cap allowed himself to be led and enjoy the moment.

The back of the table dug into his side as he stumbled backwards, and his body bent slightly, elbows scrambling against the tabletop. They separated momentarily, puncturing his lips with a desperate thirst that was impossible to quench. Reiner’s hands gently roamed his legs, massaging the long limbs briefly before he gently lifted him onto the table for better leverage. Bertolt twisted around him almost instantly, pulling their bodies closer together and pecking his lips once more.

“You’re not bad, for a fire sign,” he admitted with a smile. Whatever bad feeling had been welled inside of him had emptied and was replaced with a contentment that churned his stomach and panged his heart.

With a rumble of a laugh, the Leo toyed with the dark strands of hairs at the nape of his neck. “Same for you, tree-hugger,” he teased back. “You’re really gentle and soft. Like a gentle giant.”

“Yeah?” He straightened up so he could gaze at glistening hazel pools. “You think so?”

“Mhm. ‘S nice.” His hand reached up again, fingers tracing the point and curve of the Capricorn's tattoo against his neck. Bertolt shivered but kept their gazes locked. “Your eyes are nice too.”

Bertolt tried to will away the flush of his cheeks, but to no avail. “Th-thanks. Yours are too.”

“Pff.” Reiner rolled his eyes. “Sure. They can’t decide on what color they want to be.”

“But that’s what makes them nice. That and they’re uniquely yours. So they’re can’t be a lot of bad to them, right?”

The blond paused, apparently struck into silence by the kind words. He leaned forward to kiss his lips again, this time more passionate and more searing. Bertolt barely had time to register anything, his senses overloaded by Reiner’s mouth and hands and body, before he found himself on his back, the Leo over him and pecking sweet kisses down his neck and up his jaw. He was greedy and needy and completely infatuated with the man below him, worshipping whatever he could reach and taste. The Cap allowed the kisses as long as he could twirl his hands into blond hair, and he found the shorter groaning softly against his skin the more he pulled.

A mischievous thought came to mind, and he tightened his grip on his hair, tugging harder than before. Reiner stilled and cried out, hips bucking forward, hands clenching against the tabletop for some type of leverage. Bertolt hummed in amusement, his other hand reaching around to hold him down by his waist. The blond wiggled his hips to test how much room he had to move, and raised his head up as best he could to shoot the taller a weak glare. The casual, painfully oblivious smile Bertolt gave him in return was just another reminder of how deep he was getting himself into. This wasn’t a bad thing at all; he was actually enjoying himself for once. And he could tell Reiner was also, from a single look in his eyes.

They returned to kissing when it became too long of a separation, hands clawing against whatever they could reach, clothes to skin to hair. Bertolt reveled in the hand that snuck up and clenched in his hair, tilting his head back so that his neck could be assaulted with sloppy kisses and nipping teeth. He bucked at each bite and each suckle that threatened to raise him off the table. In return, his hands snuck around to Reiner’s backside and slipped into his jeans. He had nearly halted at the sudden presence of skilled fingers and gentle hands, but continued with his ministrations and pulled more sounds out of the Capricorn than he was most likely aware of.

Bertolt couldn’t keep his mouth shut if he tried; his pleasured moans were free to echo around the room without any hindrance. He shut his eyes and arched up into him, Reiner following the curve of his neck without missing a beat. One hand returned to toy with blond tresses, and for a short while, it was relaxing to drag his fingers through the short strands. Both seemed content to lie there and enjoy whatever ministration was being delivered to him, moving only at a particularly pleasured spot or shift that sent shivers through his body and a pleasured moan past his lips. But it didn’t take Bertolt long to hear, through the heavy lust pounding through his veins, that there was someone else in the room, and when his eyes darted over to look by the door, he screamed and shoved Reiner off of him.

The Arian couple was unexpected, not only because they had walked in on them, but also because they had never scheduled anything (at least as far as Bertolt knew). And yet there they stood, either not noticing the minor freakout or not paying it any mind. Eren seemed more focused on it than his boyfriend, although that fact did nothing to dull his embarrassment.

“Pl-please don’t tell anyone,” Bertolt found himself whispering in fear, scrambling to get off the table and make himself look presentable.

“Tell anyone what?” The taller asked without sparing him a glance. Bertolt sighed in relief, falling back in his chair, but the Leo that scooted off the table had the opposite reaction.

“You guys didn’t see us making out right here?” He asked, and the Cap couldn’t help but groan and hide his face in his hands. Hearing it only reminded him of how much self-control he had let go of, and how much self-depreciation was adding to the amount already inside him.

Jean glowered at him in return. “We did, we’re just not acknowledging it. How did you not see that?”

“I don’t know, maybe because when someone asks if you can cover for them, they don’t say ‘tell anyone what’.”

“But you entirely missed the point!”

“Jean, don’t fight him,” Eren scolded him with a hand to his shoulder, and Jean instantly relaxed. “He’s only gonna make things worse.”

“Things were great until you guys came here!” Reiner retorted back, and both Arians stepped up to him with their own arguments. Bertolt forced himself to block out their voices as his nausea overcame him and threatened to make him sick right there. He didn’t want to think about how much he wanted to continue with the Leo, or how much trouble he could get into if they were caught by someone who wouldn’t be as forgiving. This wasn’t the right thing, he knew that, but there was a part of him that wanted it to be accepted. His only choice, for now, would be to try and deny the desire, to push it away and keep it hidden, no matter how much it pulled at him. He had tasted it, and he had enjoyed it, and he wanted more.

When Armin finally arrived, Sasha in tow, he was just as surprised to see the duo. As it turned out, an eager Eren and a reluctant Jean were finally deciding to join the cause. The former apologized for the absence of Annie, but it was reassured that it wasn’t a big deal. Armin invited the four to stay, but only half accepted the invitation; the Leos had to get back home for a reason Bertolt ignored. Even though he was denying his feelings, he was thankful that they didn’t stay, even if his heart twisted to see Reiner go. It wasn’t for romance, he told himself, but pure disappointment.

The other five members, when they arrived, were just as shocked to see Eren and Jean sitting in on their meeting, but they continued on without any hassle. Historia and Connie asked repeatedly if Bertolt was alright, if he needed a water or some type of drink, if he was going to pass out and needed to lie down, but he pushed through it. Any marks, wherever they were, were well-hidden by his collar, but he still felt overexposed, especially with the witnesses sitting at the end of the table. He would keep the secret in for as long as he could, to keep the remnants of his pride in check and to prove to himself that he wasn’t as bad of a person as he thought he was.


	8. Written Records

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Research. Discover. Realize. Repeat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like this chapter because it's super long but there are a lot of ships lodged into it, which is always rad

_ When Mitras University announced the date of the legendary masquerade ball for the first week of November, it was accompanied by a wave of excitement that took the student body by storm. Upperclassmen bragged about their experiences. Freshmen struggled to understand traditions they would have to follow. The bases for masks were available by every club or organization that Mitras had to offer, some free or at a small price. As tradition, the masks that were worn were handmade by the wearer. Online posts and forums were flooded with directions for the nearest tailors or sales of dresses and suits. The masquerade was the perfect balance that classes needed as the semester began to wind down for holiday breaks to keep students active. Even professors couldn’t avoid the electric atmosphere that had filled their classrooms once more. _

_ Something unique about the ball was that a date was not required. In fact, duos coming to the ball were rare in itself. Attending meant that one would find someone there to dance with or to whisk away afterwards for more fun. Going with friends was a more common sight, one that Petra and Gunther agreed upon almost immediately. Neither had a date they could ask (though the Leo did have someone in mind, even if they couldn’t speak in public), and they couldn’t see themselves going with another. She even took him to pick up the dress she had decided to buy. And when he saw it, there wasn’t a doubt in his mind that she was going to find someone to tow back to her dorm with her, even if he couldn’t say the same for himself. The fact that he could find someone he wouldn’t normally talk to and not have to worry about getting caught with them was exciting enough, but he had a similar fulfillment already solved. _

_ The date of the masquerade was the first Friday of November, and Gunther met Petra at the student union so they could walk to the old gymnasium together. Regardless of attraction, there was no denying she was beautiful, the light pink ball gown fitting her petite form flawlessly and the light touches of makeup she had adding to her beautiful appearance. Her mask was pure white, decorated with gold along the edges. A single yet thick rose-colored feather hovered over her head from the right side, something she had taken forever to find and nearly punched a sorority girl to grab. _

_ “You look so nice!” She grinned as she held her arm out for him, and he took it with ease. _

_ “Not as nice as you,” he admitted with a smile. Even in the struggle to look appealing, the ball was not as appearance-driven as it was for the women. Making the mask was the most he had to worry about, and he took great pride in the black-and-gold one he had managed to pull together, even if it lacked any fancy material or intricate design like Petra’s. _

_ The duo walked into the gymnasium and were instantly hit by an onslaught of music and fresh food. In the center was the stage and the location of the orchestra, string instruments beside brass and woodwind that billowed out twists of modern songs to dance to. The room was split into seven different colors, and students clambered together in the section that they matched. Some were aligned alongside the wall, due to food or the crowd or the fact that they were too preoccupied with kissing to notice anything else happening around them. Gunther glanced up to see drapes bearing the university seal, color-coordinated to each section. He didn’t realize Petra beside him had stopped moving, and that they had hit an admissions line, until he stumbled forward and bumped into the person ahead of them. _

_ His apology got caught in his throat as the couple turned to look at him and he instantly recognized the man in front of him. Though his dark purple suit was much too fancy, and his white-and-gold mask was most likely too elaborately decorated for his tastes, Gunther knew who he was by one glance. A familiar pair of cinnamon brown eyes, blond hair slicked back and pulled into a proper ponytail this time around, and a pretty brunette hanging onto him, much more intimate than Petra beside him. It didn’t help that he received a similarly bewildered reaction, one that was more fearful and more alarmed that their paths had crossed. Either way, it didn’t help Gunther’s heart ache any less and his thoughts any more bewildered. _

_ The Leo finally found the ability to speak and muttered an apology under his breath. The woman ahead of them smiled as her date simply turned back up ahead. From beside him, the Sag gazed at the two and back up at him before focusing on the decorations, as she had been doing. Everything hurt, and it was hard to keep calm, and he didn’t know if his breathing was erratic or if it just sounded loud to his ears— _

_ Petra tugged him aside past admissions once they confirmed they were students and were cleared entrance. She nearly spun him around and held him against the wall, hands squeezing into the crook of his elbows. “I know what you’re gonna do, because I think I know you well enough by now to call you out on your BS. And I’m telling you now to stop before you really hurt yourself.” _

_ “I haven’t even—” He started, but she pressed a finger against his lips to silence him.  _

_ “Don’t even try it. You’re gonna hang out with me all night and be mopey because Eld is with a pretty girl and you thought you had something between you. I saw those glances you gave each other in class, so don’t lie about not liking him. Because instead of hanging out with me, you’re gonna find out the story and make yourself happy, dammit, because you deserve it!” She released him and shoved him forward. “Now go!” _

_ “But the party—” _

_ “Is me, and I can have a great time all on my own. Do it for me, if you won’t do it for yourself.” _

_ And with a final huff, she melded into the crowd, leaving him awestruck and in the entrance. He moved to the side, out of the way of the new arrivals, and tried to see if he could find Eld. The man was six foot and blond, and his suit was making a bigger statement than he was on a given day, not to mention he had been ahead of him in line. It shouldn’t be hard to spot him from the crowd. And after a moment of searching, it wasn’t: he noticed the Aquarian walking through an entryway that led to the bathrooms and a hallway with classrooms and offices. With hope bubbling inside him, he hurried to catch up and called out to him once they were the only two in the hall. _

_ “Eld!” _

_ The blond halted and turned, and the fire sign caught up to him easily. Once he was close enough, Eld grasped his wrist harshly and started to tug him forward. Gunther had to balance himself before he tripped over his own feet. _

_ “Eld, what’s going on?” No answer. “Eld?” The only reply he received was an acknowledging yet encouraging pull on his hand. Gunther wrenched himself free from his grasp and turned him around. “Tell me now or I’m leaving you here.” _

_ Eld whined at that, the most he had gotten out of him so far, and he reached out to hold his hand, but it was swatted away. _

_ “I’m serious!” _

_ “Gun, she’s just a sorority chick who needed an escort!” He finally snapped, his brows furrowing before momentarily relaxing. His tone was harsh, a type of self-disgust Gunther hadn’t heard from him before. “Just to walk her into the ball. It’s just a tradition her sisters do, and I was the arm candy she chose! That’s it!” _

_ “What happened to her?” _

_ “She didn’t need me anymore, so I was trying to get outside. Seeing the guy you like when you’re with a girl isn’t the easiest thing to take in.” _

_ “I should know.” _

_ Eld pouted. “Now you’re just being mean.” _

_ Gunther rolled his eyes. How did he fall for someone who acted like such a child? “Do you like her?” _

_ “I don’t know anything about her.” _

_ “Jessica. Aries. Family is from Mexico. Kinesiology major, I think.” _

_ The snarky remark glared at him, which was enough to silence him for the time being. “The masquerade isn’t even about bringing a date, and I wasn’t sure how you felt about me asking you, so I didn’t. But I mean it when I say that you’re the only person I want to spend time with tonight. I promise—and you know I don’t make promises unless I really care about something.” _

_ Gunther frowned, allowing his hand to be held and kissed by soft lips. He bit back a smile at how ginger Eld was, avoiding contact with his palm as best he could. “Why didn’t you just tell me before tonight? I’ve been driving myself mad, trying to figure out what’s going on inside your head.” _

_ The Aquarian took too long to respond, distracted by the hand in his, but he was spurred on when it was pulled away. “That’s totally my fault, Gun, I’m sorry. I’m an awkward son of a bitch who has no idea how to talk to you, because you’re really hot and really different from anything I’ve ever known. I forget how to breathe when I’m with you. I think you’re actually making me sick.” _

_ The dark-haired male shook his head, but not without a gentle, and reassuring, smile to accompany it. “It probably means you’re in love, dummy.” _

_ Eld, upon hearing that, straightened up and tightly clung onto Gunther’s good hand, hauling him along. Something in what he had said had created a desperate type of fire that the Leo was truly curious on seeing unfurl. “Come on.” _

_ He smirked, nearly avoiding a couple returning to the festivities. “Where are you taking me?” _

_ “The closet.” _

_ “Oh? Haven’t been there in a few years.” _

_ The blond laughed as he opened a nearest door, a closet just like he had said, and pulled him inside. “Shut up and kiss me already.” _

_ While the duo was preoccupied with one another, Auruo was having a less-than-easy time adjusting to the ball. Hanji had hopped around the room, neurotic yet excited and focused on keeping the party at a high level of success. Nanaba was extra chatty with a too-tall blond chunk of muscle named Mike, and she was the only thing keeping him anchored down at the ball. He thought he had seen his philosophy TA somewhere, distracted by the attention of a Captain America stunt double in a blue suit and maroon tie, though Auruo doubted something like that would be possible. Levi was just as harsh as he was, if not more so; there was no way he could have found a date. _

_ It was getting crowded anyway, and while he enjoyed standing off to the side, in a pristine white suit he only partially cared for and a cream-and-crimson mask he had paid a sophomore to make for him, wearing that permanent scowl on his face that he could just imagine the teasing he would have received from  _ **_her_ ** _ about it, outside proposed more things anyway. Hanji had somehow found it in the committee’s funds to add a temporary extension to the gymnasium, a courtyard between the gymnasium and the building beside it. The reason was for anyone who wanted to venture outside to dance, even if it wasn’t plausible why anyone would want to do so in early November. Either way, it was a gulp of fresh air not hindered by a crowd that would surely clear his head. _

_ There was one other person out besides him in the courtyard, leaning against a light post by one of the benches and looking out at the mostly cleared-up campus grounds. Her presence, surrounded by dim yellow lights and chilled air, her peach gown almost giving off a floating illusion, was a light of hope that maybe this night would end on a good note. Even though she shivered from the cold, loose sleeves not even long enough to cover her elbows, and the top of her shoulder revealed a scarlet arrow that only reminded him of  _ **_her_ ** _ , there could be good to come out of it.  _

_ Auruo walked up to stand beside her silently, hands behind his back and eyes looking forward. If he wasn’t careful, he would scare her away, and that was the last thing he needed. “Do you want my jacket?” _

_ Out of the corner of his eye, the woman glanced up at him briefly. She shifted on her feet as her hands tightened around her shoulder. “No, I…I don’t,” she replied. Her voice sounded as sweet and as melodic as he had imagined, a smooth accompaniment that—though admittedly, he swore he had heard it somewhere before. “Do you, um… Do I know you?” _

_ Auruo turned to face her to answer, and his stomach plummeted immediately. She hadn’t even said a word to him and the situation was not looking good. It wasn’t because she was more gorgeous than he had thought, or how exquisite and breathtaking she may have been with her mask and dress, or the fact that she had light dustings of freckles along her shoulders and arms, but it was  _ **_her_ ** _ , the same woman who had plagued his thoughts and dreams for weeks and infuriated him to no end. He should have stayed away and not take the chance when he saw the red hair. _

_ Her body tensed almost instantly when they made eye contact, her expression switching to irritation behind the mask. “Of all people to run into tonight, and you’re the one who ends up finding me,” she scowled. “Just my luck.” _

_ Auruo scoffed and turned his back to her. “Whatever, nag,” he sneered. “Don’t even try to talk to me anymore. You’re only gonna make this night worse.” _

_ “Oh am I?” Petra laughed, a tough bark he had become accustomed to. “If it’s so bad, why don’t you just go home?” _

_ “I can go where I damn well please. But if you don’t like it so much, I’ll go. At least then, I won’t have to see you!” _

_ “Great! Then we can both be happy!” _

_ “Awesome!” _

_ “Fine!” _

_ Neither made an effort to walk away, opting instead to glare at one another with disgust. Petra was intimidating for someone at her height, a trait she refused to let anyone associate with wimpy. Ever since they had started to work in their group for philosophy, they established themselves on separate stances and battled it out. Levi had grown especially interested in it, but even with that, the professor had gotten involved one too many times whenever a conflict presented itself. Auruo spent nights trying to figure out why he enticed her, why he egged her own, why his chest pounded every time she walked into the room or even spared him a glance that wasn’t threatening for once. He knew that it was something about her smoldering stare, her curled fists tensing her shoulders, that he found utterly addicting. He wanted to spur her on to see how far he could go before she threw a punch or stomped away. And that realization about himself drove him insane. _

_ Petra was the first to break their gaze, turning back to campus and shivering just as much as before. She looked almost pitiful, though he reminded himself not to give it to her. She may be cold, but he knew her pride came first. And to ask or even receive something that was akin to help would be humiliating to her.  _

Fuck it. _ What was the worst that could happen? She had already punched him in the nose before, elbowed his gut, dug her hands into his arm so he wouldn’t write something down; she only avoided below the belt because, according to her, she doesn’t want to think about what his reaction would be. It wasn’t to say he didn’t deserve the treatment, because she only did it when he was being especially annoying. But even then, he felt bad that he was leaving her cold when he could change it. _

_ So, despite her earlier refusal and the risk it could bring, the Capricorn removed his jacket and gently draped it over her shoulders. She jumped at the contact and looked from his hands to his face, searching for what he wasn’t sure. Either way, the chills that had wracked through her body had lessened to an extent, now that her arms were covered. The duo returned to their silent positions, separated by unspoken tension, before she spoke up. _

_ “Why are you like this?” _

_ Auruo raised an eyebrow, forcing himself to not take offense but to understand what she was trying to say. “If you think I know what that means, I hate to disappoint you.” _

_ Petra shot him a weak glare. “You confuse me,” she confessed. “You’re the type of person who opens a door for someone and then trips them on their way inside. It’s like you can’t decide whether you wanna be polite or rude.” _

_ He shrugged and crossed his arms, hoping it didn’t show how the biting cold now affected him. “It’s not that I can’t decide.” _

_ “Well then what is it? Because you seem pretty conflicted to me.” _

_ He bit his tongue—figuratively and literally—to hold back what he was trying to say. Part of him wanted to say that he only behaved that way because it was her, but he knew putting the blame completely on her would only end badly. “It’s…” He trailed off, his mind going blank on what excuse would be right to use.  _

_ The hand was swift in wiping off the light streak of red that had appeared at the corner of his mouth, and if he didn’t know any better, he would have thought he had imagined it. Petra avoided eye contact after that, however, and seemed more than keen on avoiding his stare. _

_ “Why’d you even get a short-sleeved dress?” He wondered, hoping to steer conversation in a place other than his conflicting emotions. _

_ The redhead grimaced at his question. “Because they didn’t have any long-sleeved ones. Plus, I look great in this.” _

_ She made a valid point; he was shocked she hadn’t been whisked away by someone else permanently. Though he would bet money that she would kick their legs out from underneath them before they made a move like that on her. “You do. Look good in it, that is.” _

_ “I wasn’t seeking your approval.” _

_ “A nice ’thank you’ would have been fine.” _

_ “Why, because you did a good deed like a good boy?” _

_ Auruo glared at her. “I can take my jacket back if you’re gonna be bitchy over a compliment.” _

_ “Bitchy for not accepting a man’s unneeded approval over my outfit?” She scoffed and slid the article of clothing off her shoulders and held it out to him on one finger. “Take it back, then.” _

_ Gaze locked on the jacket, he wondered just how much backlash he would get for lashing out at her. Not only that, but he wondered just how much she actually liked him. He had no place to talk, since he was an automatic terrible person to anyone he came in contact with, but he wasn’t always that way. At least, he didn’t try to be constantly horrible. But lately, it seemed like she saved all of her kindness for others and preserved snarky comments for him. What more was there for him to do? Why did he have to get the short end of the stick? _

_ “I don’t know what you want from me,” he admitted in a low voice. “But whatever it is, I’m obviously not giving it to you.” _

_ “What are you even talking about?” Petra frowned, eyes narrowed. _

_ “You know what I mean! I’ve heard you talk about the guys that have tried to flirt with you but were actually terrible human beings. I saw you turn a guy down because he stared at your chest while he asked you out! You don’t want to be wooed or talked to because you’re pretty; you want to be treated the same as everyone else. So I figured that’s what I would do. Because I think you’re…great, as a person. And I respect you, because you can kick ass and take names and you don’t deal with anyone’s shit. But I tried to treat you like I would treat anyone else, and I could have been their type of asshole when we first met, but I wasn’t! I did what you wanted and I got that shit blown back in my face!” _

_ Her eyes had grown wide at his confession, and he could have sworn he saw a look of revelation cross her features beneath the mask, as if she was seeing him for the first time. And she might as well have; he had never shown that type of vulnerability before. He took special care in hiding everything personal within a shell that was only reached when he allowed someone entrance. And when Petra had come along, so different from any girl he had ever met, she skirted around the shell but had never gotten close enough to crack it. He had never allowed her to until now. _

_ The music from inside changed drastically, from an upbeat tempo to a slower rhythm. The duo glanced back inside the gymnasium at the sound of people scrambling for partners to dance with. It almost set the mood for a romantic setting, if it weren’t for the remains of tension in the air. _

_ Petra didn’t say anything, but she slipped the jacket back on and straightened up the lower half of her gown before she held out a hand for him to take. Auruo gazed at it, knowing full well the gesture and her intention, but he was hesitant. He didn’t want to overstep any boundaries, even if she was offering to help him through the process. _

_ “Do you want to dance or not?” She sighed when he still hadn’t made an effort to take her hand.  _

_ He covered up his reluctance with a snort and allowed himself to be pulled closer to her, his neck arching down to look at her. “Impatient much?” _

_ She didn’t say anything else, but she shot him a glower that acted as a warning to be quiet. Her hands guided his into position, one on her shoulder and the other gripping hers, as she held onto his hip with her free hand. He debated whether or not she should ask for an explanation, but he decided against it. They were already differing signs sharing words, and they fought every time they met, during or outside of class, so her leading in a waltz-esque dance wasn’t a big deal. In fact, he welcomed the idea. _

_ “I hope you know how to dance,” Petra said. _

_ “And waste your precious time?” He smirked as they began to move. “I wouldn’t dare.” _

_ Auruo had taken dance lessons as a kid, mostly duets because it was the only class that hadn’t managed to kick him out, and Petra moved with a skillful grace that had to have come from the same source. Her steps were smooth and clean, precise in their placement as if there was an invisible layout that only she could see guiding her. Each step she took, every moment, every sway, was confident and sure, and she had yet to trip over her skirt. She guided him through the music and he let her without any protest, but with certain pleasure. Not once had their eyes broken the gaze they held, and it showed them a new side to the person they now realized they knew little about. They were more than just harsh words and retorts with fiery tongues. They could see that the other was a person who simply wanted a proper chance, one in which they could succeed with. _

_ Their dancing winded down to a halt when the music slowed towards the end of the song, and they stayed in one place, swaying to the movement. Their hands had met in between them, fingers tangled and squeezing firmly against palms. Petra, hesitant at first, rested her head against his shoulder, and Auruo placed his chin atop her head in return. Even if his head swam with conflicts and desperation to find answers for his questions, he was right where he wanted. She wasn’t pushing him away, and there were no clear signs of any uncomfortable positions from either of them. For now, he let it play out until the time came for them to face the truth. _

 

Chapter 8: Written Records

 

The weekend leading to Monday allowed for a multitude of accomplishments to be made. Their forces had grown to nine, and now only three individuals remained who had to be convinced. With Eren now a part of Armin’s force, his immediate contribution to their efforts was a free pass into the law school’s library. It went against the policies of both the university and library, but going against rules was becoming less and less foreign to them. Now, they were able to study the right primary sources to examine lawsuits and court cases properly. Although Ymir, Mikasa and Connie had other priorities and were unable to make it to their library date, Jean and Marco contributed by teaming up and sending emails of book titles and article links to check out in the meantime.

Bertolt, however, had been unable to focus properly for the past three days. He had been able to direct his problem away from Historia for the weekend, spending his time away from her while he tried to force his mind to forget the events of Friday. He felt bad for keeping it away from her—she was his closest companion, after all—but he wasn’t quite ready to talk about it yet. It didn’t help that Monday now had him sitting across from her as she flipped through pages and pages of court info. At this point, he was starting to wonder if he would ever be ready, and if he should just take a chance and go for it already.

“Hey, Historia?” He began with a whisper, and had to stop when Eren stopped by and dropped another book in front of him. So far, the Capricorns’ assignment had been to label the necessary court cases in the records they wanted to check out further in chronological order. Eren and Armin, with delivery services by the former from within the archives, delivered the specific years they wanted to check. Jean and Marco did the same for the electronically-recorded cases by combing through the database and taking note of anything that popped up in relation. Though Bert wasn’t sure how much good all of this was actually doing for him.

Historia hummed in partial confirmation and distraction, still focused on the records from the 1990s in front of her. She scribbled down some info in her notes before she acknowledged his lack of response. “Find something interesting?”

“Not yet.” He thumbed through the volume from 1987 in his lap before he leaned forward so that their voices couldn’t be picked up by any passersby. “Remember the other night, when I said I had a stomachache?”

The question finally caused her to look up. “Is it still there? I might have some Motrin in my bag for cramps.”

She began to dig through her pocketbook, but the taller held up his hands to stop her. “No, no, I’m fine. It’s mostly gone now.” When she pulled back from her bag to stare at him, concern littering her features, he hesitated. Historia was a great friend, his best one, ever since his family had adopted her into their home. The last thing he wanted was for her to despise him. “I told you that I…must have eaten something bad. And…it’s not the truth. O-okay, maybe a little, because there were mouths involved, and there was a lot of pulling and biting—”

“What the hell did you do on Friday?” She interrupted him in bewilderment.

Bertolt gulped, and he forced his stare on the unopened leather book before him. “W-well, he’s tall and blond and muscled—”

Historia covered her mouth to stifle her gasp, eyes widening, but a few stares still came her way. “You had sex in the room with Reiner?”

“No!” The brunet bowed his head at the volume his voice reached. “We just kissed. I think I still have a hickey somewhere.”

The blonde was awestruck by this, and her eyes instantly flickered to said area. Consciously, he shrouded the spot with his hand, remembering the gentle suckling and thin lips and skilled teeth that couldn’t get enough of him. Now that it was over with and behind him, he was ashamed to admit this to her. But if he knew anyone who could keep the secret, and who had no judgement against him, it was her. He was sure of it because she was a physically emotional person: how she was feeling registered on her face beforehand. And by now, there was no possible way for her to feel anything like that.”

“I can’t believe it,” she mumbled. “Connie owes me twenty bucks and a dinner.”

Bertolt gawked at her in shock. “You  _ bet _ on me over kissing a boy?”

“To be fair, it was his idea. And he had some very convincing points that I’m pretty sure he was spot-on with.”

He hung his head and groaned into the hands that covered his face, as if they could do something to clear away his blush “I can’t stop thinking about what we did. It’s been bothering me since Friday, even though we got caught by the Arians—”

“Oh wow, thirty bucks and dessert now.”

“I don’t even know if I like him like that. I just know that I haven’t felt that good in a long time.”

A soft look of sympathy crossed her features, and she reached out with one hand to cup his. “Oh Bert.”

“He was really good, Tori. Like,  _ really _ good. He clearly knew what he was doing—compared to him, I was the awkward virgin that could barely keep up.”

She chuckled quietly at that. “Maybe if you talk to him about it, you’ll find some peace of mind. He and Sasha are coming to the meeting tomorrow, and I don’t think it would be a bad thing to approach him about it, especially because he might be going through the same thoughts as you.”

Bertolt glanced up at her through his eyelashes before he sat up. “You really think so?”

She grinned and nodded. “Mhm. You’re a good person, Bertolt. This isn’t a bad thing. The way I see it, this is just like any other boy problem that we’ve had in the past. If you remember it like that, I’m sure you and Reiner can talk it through. And who knows—maybe he’ll get that and understand where you’re coming from a little better.”

Eren dropped by their table with two more books in hand. “The records aren’t on each other’s faces, you know,” he snapped with a light tap on the records he dropped off. “Stop chitchatting.”

The pair watched him saunter off and snorted simultaneously under their breath. “He just joined, right?” Bertolt asked.

“And he’s already acting like the boss,” Historia added with a shake of her head before her gaze fell back onto the page she was on. Her attention was caught by a certain record, and while Bertolt resumed his search, she was frozen on one. The information was something she had never heard of before, only showing up a few times from what she’s seen. But she wasn’t sure what to make of it now, after seeing a familiar name pop up. “Hey, Bert. L-look at this.”

The tremble in her voice had him nearly jumping up to his feet to see what it was. She pointed at the record she was on, a case from October 1999 that was open until the first week of November:

_ Lionel Braus, 29—Taurus, and Delilah Blackburn-Carver, 31—Leo, have requested for a marriage license in order to support daughter Sasha Braus, 1—Leo, and, quote, “to give our daughter a loving and supportive home.” Filed in June 1999, court date scheduled for October 1999.  _

**_Outcome:_ ** _ marriage license denied. Goes against Marriage Dividend Act of 1802. Custody of daughter falls to Blackburn-Carver due to shared signs. Braus must pay full child support monthly. Failure to pay what is due will result in instant arrest and persecution. Braus is forbidden from contacting his daughter at any time due to having intercourse and intimate relationship with a Leo woman. Failure to follow this restriction will result in instant arrest and persecution. Child’s knowledge of father is dependent on mother’s choice. _

The rest of the writing beneath it was lost to them at the single name that popped up. “Braus” was not exactly a common name, seen only once from a recent email, and paired up with “Sasha”, it was clear who the record was referring to.

“What do we do about this?” Bertolt asked in a small voice. There was no telling how much Sasha knew about it, but seeing as she had had an interest in Connie, the last they had seen and heard, there was no telling what could happen. She could use their friend as a way to find her father, or she could use him just to have what she had lacked.

“I-I don’t know, I…” The blonde let out a soft sigh, her shoulders heavy with the weight of this new truth. The thought of Connie finding out about this had no known outcome. Neither of them knew what to do, and neither of them were going to make the first move. “What  _ can _ we do?”

* * *

The idea of working with a Scorpio had never been something Eren would think of happening. Disregarding society’s boundaries, his parents had taken the time to teach him about the other signs as if they were a different race. His father pointed out how some signs with differing elements could get along because they were akin to two sides of the same coin, such as Aries and Libra. However, his mother reminded him that not all signs were meant to be, which explained the segregation in the first place. One of the signs she used for him was Scorpio, who were “too emotional, too intense, and too right” for them. Though Eren had had trouble comprehending her words, he tried to keep an open mind and form his own opinions—“the Aries way,” as the saying went.

So when he was paired up with Armin for research, it was with no expectations but a single warning from his boyfriend. “I know you two won’t end up making out in a closet,” he joked, “but you’ve never been around a Scorpio before. You don’t know how they really are. Just keep an eye out for anything weird, okay?”

“Got it, Mom,” he had laughed. The duo had ended up having a pleasant night out after that, completed with “Friends” and half-off milkshakes from Sonic with a coupon they found in the glove compartment. They were on much better terms than the tension from last week; Eren knew nothing bad was going to happen between them.

“Do you know Historia and Bertolt well?” He wondered in a low voice once he had returned to his and Armin’s station in an available study room. The table wasn’t as cluttered as the other pair, but there was a considerable amount of books piled on there that seemed to be in a specific order, judging by the layout. Any that were open surrounded the edges, matched up to the four sides by the closest subject that the open pages could relate to. The currently unused books were in the other available chairs.

Armin glanced up from skimming a few pages of a book, and he shrugged. “Well, I guess,” he replied. “They’re roommates; she’s very close with his family, and they’ve been friends with Connie since high school. There’s some other things that are more…private. I don’t really feel comfortable talking about it.”

“But they’re not dating?”

“Oh  _ God _ , no.” The blond nearly laughed out loud. “Bertolt’s pan, and Historia’s gay, but still, they’re too close to even think about romantically loving one another.”

“Huh.” Eren picked up another volume of records and dug through it.

“Why, what happened when you went to them?”

“Nothing. They just seemed really intimate, is all.” They had been bent over the table, in a close proximity, in a public place that he was sure still made their skin crawl if they gathered too much attention to themselves. His speculation wasn’t without reason.

Armin hummed at that but didn’t continue any further. Eren went back to the Capricorns a short while later to deliver another copy, satisfied to see both focused on their readings. When he returned, he noticed his partner vigorously flipping through pages of a thick, hardcover book. It was different from the last one he had seen, and he didn’t remember taking it from the shelves nearby.

“What are you looking at?” He wondered as he stood beside him. The records were more recent court cases, some that had happened in the last five years, but none of them were related to their research.

“I thought I could try and find the lawsuit that caused the Four Elements Act before we sent this to them,” he remarked, his gaze still locked on the pages he was digging through. “It has to be here somewhere…”

“Why can’t we just give it to Historia and Bertolt to look through? Isn’t that what they’re supposed to do?”

“We could do that, but they have enough on their hands. That and we found out that at the start of the 2000s, any astrological lawsuit that has been brought to the courts to try and desegregate society was instantly denied. No one wanted to deal with it out of fear of angering the government and the severe consequences it guaranteed, until—” He paused, his eyes lighting up at the discovery he found, and he pointed at the entry. “—here. May 12th, 2016. ’A proposal to end all astrological segregation and unite society, headed by Erwin Smith and Levi Ackerman.’ This is it.” He tossed the book aside and scrambled for his laptop, nearly knocking Eren over.

“Whoa—who are they?”

“I’m not sure. Maybe they were the lawyers for this case. Rene didn’t really mention anyone by name, at least from what the Caps have recorded.” The Scorpio hurriedly unlocked his computer, fingers opening up a web page immediately and typing furiously. “If I can just find out where they are—”

“Then you can talk to them and find out what they did so we can model it.”

“Exactly.”

Eren paused, but then plopped down beside him with a smile. “Sounds great.”

Armin stopped to stare at him, as if he had never heard the words said before. Eren wasn’t sure what he had done to warrant such a reaction; he had had support for this for a few weeks now. Hadn’t anyone said anything to him about it? As he returned the gaze, trying to figure out what it was for, he noticed just how different Armin’s eyes were from anything he had seen. The intensity of the ocean-blue shade of his irises sent chills down his spine. It was almost like he could see the secrets he held, secrets that were so large yet so unknown and vague, he couldn’t figure out where their truth was.

“Why are you doing this?”

His question was a near-whisper, tiny yet gentle, as if asking too loudly would bother him. Armin stiffened at it, his hands shifting slightly at the attention brought to him, and he looked away instantly. “I have my reasons,” he stated. “And one of them is to prevent others from going through the same experiences as me.”

“What happened?”

He didn’t answer, and Eren realized when he went back to typing that he wouldn’t get one today. And yet the Scorpio had left him thirsty for more. The Arian didn’t know what it was, but his heart clenched in pity and his stomach churned. He almost wanted to reach out to him, to assure him that it was going to be alright and nothing like what he had gone through could happen to him now, and with the work they put in, it wouldn’t happen to anyone else. But how could he do that to someone he had only just started to know?

Armin was shrouded by mystery; any personal information was kept hidden. His name and astrological sign were the only things, Eren noted, that he knew with confidence. Although he didn’t know how much the others knew, he wondered if it was any more than what he knew. Perhaps Armin wanted to be detached from them, in case things went sour. Or maybe it was to hide something bigger from them. Eren would have to remember to look him up later to see what he could find. Though he wasn’t sure that he would get far, he knew it would be worth it, for that pale skin and gentle eyes and that whirling motivation to  _ do _ —

This was not love. He did not feel this way because he felt nothing for Jean and Armin had opened up a new challenge for him to take. And if it was, and he was unable to see it, then this was going to be harder than it already was.

* * *

Jean had known little about other signs simply because he found the information useless. The focus his major had taken didn’t touch up on it whatsoever. He was what most considered a purebred for an Aries, someone whose lineage had followed society’s restrictions for years, so his heritage never called for him to look outside of his sign. And as compassionate as his late mother was, she knew how the law worked and she made sure her son did as well, even if she never closed the door on any curiosity he had in explaining why things were a certain way. In the end, he decided not to delve too much into the subject unless it was absolutely necessary. At times, he had the chance to cross into that territory, but until now, he refused to go into specifics and make it harder for himself.

Though as he gathered the small stack of papers he had printed out and returned to the table he was working at, he wished that he had at least gotten some general information on them to prepare himself for what he would face. Marco seemed nice enough, he truly did, but he had failed to stop talking and asking him questions and talking about this or that. It was like he thought they were longtime friends who hadn’t talked in years and were catching up. He couldn’t be farther from the truth, and Jean regretted not at least giving a background check on Geminis beforehand.

Marco was scrolling through a database, one hand nibbling on the pad of his thumb, when Jean returned to the table. He had barely sat down when the Gemini looked up to shoot him a friendly grin. There had to be something wrong with this guy; he was way too happy with everything for it to be normal.

“Hey, you need to see this,” he called out a little too loud for the library’s standards. A few others glanced over at them, and the Arian flushed as he took a seat. “I noticed that we didn’t really have a lot of sources for air and fire signs, so I opened a new tab and I found a ton of stuff on interactions between Arians and Geminis, a—”

“Please shut up,” Jean groaned as he tried to return to his previous research.

“But it’s really interesting, and I think you would like this!”

“Let me save you some time, then, and tell you that I wouldn’t.”

“But I haven’t even told you what it is yet.” Was that disappointment in his tone? Who was this guy?

“Doesn’t matter. Won’t care either way.” Jean shot him a phony grin, hoping it was enough to satisfy him.

Marco frowned, but he shrugged and let out an airy sigh. “Alright, if you say so. I just thought you would like it because it has to do with you.”

“Pff, are you trying to guilt trip m—” Jean had glanced up at the freckled male over the rim of his glasses, but halted with a harsh realization. He gritted his teeth and shot him a glare. “Are you saying I would only like it because it has to do with me?”

The Gemini paused, eyes shifting off to the side in thought, before he nodded. “That’s exactly what I said.” Jean scoffed and started to speak once more, in protest, but was beaten to it. “You do like yourself, right?”

For some reason he couldn’t fathom, he couldn’t bring himself to answer. And as Marco gazed at him with a strange patience and relaxed smile, he choked up. Stage fright hadn’t ever been a problem for him, but with the mounting expectation of an answer and a man who seemed to bear no fury in him, there was no possible way he would get an answer out. And it seemed like Marco had moved on already: he went right back to his laptop screen, searching for more in the databases. Jean, defeated, leaned back in his seat and bit back a groan. 

It wasn’t the first time that day that the dark-haired male had done this. When he had gone on his printer runs, he made sure to leave the Arian dumbfounded and looking like an idiot. There was no denying that Marco was intelligent, and as ditzy as he could come off, he was not unaware of wit or sarcasm. Whenever they found something worth sharing, it almost always had turned into a heated discussion. But when Jean was reaching his boiling point, Marco uttered a few words strung together in blaring simplicity to prove his point and left him no room for an argument or disagreement just from what had been said. And then he acted as if nothing had happened, like what he had done was a usual occurrence that everyone went through. It was starting to make Jean antsy, and he was about to lash out at him, physically if not verbally. 

“What is it that you wanted to show me?” He finally gave in. If it got him so wound up, it was bound to be worth it, even if he hadn’t strayed from his typical demeanor. 

“Hmm?” Marco glanced up at him in shock to hear him speak, but then he laughed quietly under his breath. “Oh, I already closed out of the tab. I’ll show you when I go on my printer run.”

Jean had no time to contain his rage as overall astonishment floored him. After his pursuing and his insistence, the matter was gone, just like that. He was thankful it hadn’t dragged on, but he was furious that it did before he got a chance to find out what it was that could have interested him. As he pondered on the likelihood of a murder being discovered and solved in the library, and how well his chances were of never getting caught, a new discovery had gathered Marco’s attention in a new way. His expression transformed into a serious one, smile dissipating, but the sharp excitement in his eyes intensified. Whatever it was that he had found, Jean knew it was worth it to find out and brace through conversation this time.

“Hey…what’s your last name?”

The sudden question brought him to a halt, one eyebrow raised. “Why?”

“I just found an essay on the government’s usage of segregation when the Constitution was established and its effect on present-day society and I think it has your name on it.”

_ Shit. _ It had been one English class his sophomore year, and he wasn’t allowed to choose prompts. And apparently, his professor had enjoyed it so much, she posted it on a multitude of sites. He didn’t care, since he figured it would be anonymous, but it looked like he had been wrong. “Kirschtein.”

Marco leaned closer to the screen. “Jewish?”

“Maybe.” Because his “father” neglected his mother early in her pregnancy, she had given her son her last name. But other than that, his lineage did expand upon French Jews that could be traced past the Second World War and to Israel. But that wasn’t information for the freckled air sign to know about.

The Gemini’s eyes suddenly widened, and he whipped around to face him with a gasp. “You went to Trost University?”

Jean shrugged nonchalantly, adjusting his glasses. “For my undergrad, yeah.” Trost was known for being one of the toughest schools in the country to get into. It had been his dream college since his freshman year of high school, and he had worked himself for four years to get accepted.

“It’s impossible to get into. And it’s expensive—well, not as expensive as other private schools, but still. You got in?”

“Yeah, and it was the only college I applied to. Since when did this turn into ‘Storytime with Jean’?”

Marco bowed his head, a shy smile surfacing. “I really wanted to go to Trost, but they wait-listed me. A-and I needed to choose a school before it came too late, so I went to Jinae.”

Perhaps if he was with someone else—like Eren or Annie, for example—he would retort with something like “you can’t get any better than Trost” and brag about his acceptance to the prestigious school. And he didn’t care much for the Gemini, but he didn’t deserve to look so down over something that happened four years ago. “Hey, Jinae’s still great. They’re known for their history programs, right?”

“Yeah, they are. And they gave me a full ride, so that sorta helped too.”

“Better than twelve decades of student loans you’ll probably never pay off.”

Marco chuckled at that, parts of his cheery demeanor returning despite the cloudy sadness that hovered behind it. “Should I print this out for reference?”

“If you want. It doesn’t matter to me.” It truly didn’t make a difference; the paper was decent compared to others he has written, but his professor had been enamored by it. It could be of help to them. Jean waited until a few more clicks before he proceeded with his personal prodding. “If you wanted to go to Trost so badly, how come you didn’t go there for grad school?”

Marco didn’t say anything, but his bittersweet smile returned, and Jean didn’t need a further explanation. If they had taken him in, he wouldn’t be at Rose University.

The Arian cleared his throat, hoping to get rid of the awkwardness with it. “So, uh, what’s your major?”

This time, his energy seemed to rebound completely. He sat up straighter and his eyes widened with enthusiasm. This was his passion, the one thing that he could always guarantee on to be there. Jean knew the look, because it was the same thing that flowed through him every time something came up that he could relate to. “History, with a focus in European.”

“Hey, same here.” The excited churn of his stomach at sharing majors was merely an accident. Though he couldn’t hold back the smile that suddenly appeared. “We match.”

Marco laughed and leaned forward, his crossed arms resting on the table. “No way! Are you here for your doctorate too?”

“Yeah, actually. I’m focusing on the Enlightenment and the effect it had on European monarchs.”

“Oh wow.” Dark chocolate eyes were wide with excitement. Usually, the announcement of a history major was received with lackluster and false interest. There was nothing teasing or mocking about it; he was completely genuine in his joy. “That’s really interesting.” He sat up a bit, seeing as it was his turn to brag. “I wanna study Rome and the effects it has on European culture. I think it’s something like cultural anthropology? But it’s still history, so I’m happy with it.”

Jean scoffed at that. “Rome’s lame. They copied more off of other empires than George Lucas used names.”

Offended, jaw slack, the freckled male scooted closer to him. “Rome’s not  _ lame! _ It’s one of the greatest empires to exist!”

“It’s not that great. The Byzantine outlived it, first of all.”

“But the Byzantines were taken over by the Ottomans, who eventually disbanded after World War One.”

“Because the British believed in a civilizing mission that the whole  _ world _ had to be involved in, so they tried to fix everything but only screwed everything up!”

“They left Turkey alone!”

“Turkey forced them the hell outta the Anatolian peninsula!”

One of the librarians walked over then, glaring at the duo for speaking in loud tones. Jean hadn’t even noticed how close they had become, let alone how loud they were. The few people around them had even disappeared. Marco was still widely grinning, but embarrassedly waved his apology and stood  up.

“Come on, I printed out a few more things,” Marco insisted at a more suitable level, and held out a hand for the shorter to take. Jean, now that they weren’t passionately involved in a discussion, reminded himself of their location and stood up without assistance.

There wasn’t as much chatting as they took the small walk out of the study area and down a small hallway that led to the lobby. The computer lab was just across the way, on the opposite side as them. As they crossed over to it, Marco mentioned something about a rave held in the library every year before final exams, but Jean wasn’t sure if he had heard him correctly or not. He was too focused on the context behind the exchange he had had with the freckled male, and the more he did, the more worried he became. There was something behind it, something behind the way they interacted, that was troublesome and raising little red flags everywhere.

It would be a lie to say that Marco wasn’t attractive, especially since he fit his tastes. Each expression flashed on his features, clear and confident, eyes lighting up in unison to however he was feeling. There was a prominent dusting of freckles on his cheeks, but some stretched down the back of his neck, and clusters were splattered across his knuckles. His nose had a little scuff on the ridge, like a scratch from long ago that had scarred over. Jean found himself admitting to liking the time spent around the Gemini, even if half of it was spent in pure frustration. Though that feeling had to be false, and the churning of his stomach was simply from hunger, and not from the bending form of Marco that he watched pick up a few carelessly dropped papers. He hadn’t even realized that his eyes had wandered until a soft hand landed on his shoulder and broke him out of the daze he had been in.

“You okay?” Marco asked gently with concern.

Jean nodded and guided the hand away. “’M fine,” he grumbled.

“You sure? Your face is really red.”

“I said I’m  _ fine _ .”

“My eyes are up here.”

The shorter glared up at him, internally cursing the slight height difference between them. The Gemini smiled down at him, friendly and content and almost deceiving. Jean felt more like he was in a spider’s web than anything, and it was the last thing he wanted to be experiencing. And being under his stare was the last place he wanted to be. “I’m fine.”

“Hm, if you say so.” Marco brushed past him, a gentle touch of the shoulders, and gestured for him to follow. It took him a moment to break out of his shock, but when he did, he scurried after the taller.

“Are you trying to seduce me?”

The Gemini chuckled, his pace not letting up. “Why would I be trying to seduce you?” His voice was considerably lower, and when he looked over his shoulder at the Arian, it was with eyes partially shut and an innocent smile that somehow made the situation worse for him. “It’s not really allowed.”

As they walked through the hallway back to their table, Jean caught sight of the bathroom sign overhead. There was no other type of thinking than the impulsive kind, and he hauled Marco inside the bathroom with him by the back of his collar. The taller yelped at the sudden tug, but didn’t resist as he was thrown against the tiled wall. As soon as he made contact with it, he hissed and tried to move away, but Jean was already holding him down.

“I’m getting so tired of you,” he seethed through his teeth, fueled with irritation and provoked to action by his mixed feelings. On one hand, he liked Marco for his kindness and the enthusiasm for the shared Bachelor’s. But on the other hand, he wanted to kick the living daylights out of him from how perky and happy he was. “You don’t know when to stop talking, you don’t know how to take a hint, and you certainly don’t know  _ me _ !”

The Gemini tried once again to move away, this time with an obvious layer of pain on his feature, but Jean’s hands were relentless. He wasn’t going to get out of this by using pity. “Jean, plmm—” A hand promptly closed over his mouth before he could say anything else.

“I can’t even believe you would think about trying to trick me like this. Has this been some plan of yours all along? To seduce me and get me to fall in love with you so you could take advantage of me? And you already know I’m happily in a relationship—” The grasp around his mouth tightened despite the muffled protests. “I don’t need you to get me out of it! Why would you even try to convince me that I need to leave?!”

Marco finally ripped the hand away with a gasp and was able to break out of the hold so he could try and keep the shorter a distance away from him. “Jean,  _ please _ ! You’re really hurting me!”

Jean backed away, only because he truly sounded pained, and as soon as he did, the taller doubled over with a trembling sigh. His back arched while his breath attempted to balance in uneasy puffs. He couldn’t see because of the sweater Marco wore over his white button-down, but the Arian was sure that he was truly in pain from something. “Marco…? Are you…”

“I wasn’t trying to hurt you,” he interrupted him before anymore could be said. The subject was switched so quickly to something new, it was almost dizzying. “I didn’t want to come off like that at all.”

“So you weren’t flirting with me?”

“ _ No. _ ”

The denial was strained, but Jean had a feeling it wasn’t because of him. “Marco, really, if you’re hurt—”

“I’m fine, Jean.” Marco straightened up, but instantly bent down once more. The tremble in his legs caused him to press a fist against the wall for leverage, but Jean was still there to duck underneath his other arm and hold him up. He wasn’t sure if his back was the best place at this time to lay his arm across, so he held the taller close to him by his hip.

“‘Fine’ my ass.” He helped the Gemini out of the bathroom and back to their designated study table. The papers were still clutched tightly in freckled hands, released only by a single tug from Jean. Marco sat down with some difficulty, but seemed much better in a chair than he was standing, even if he had gotten considerably pale on the way over. “You look sick.”

The same brown eyes that had been so overjoyed before were now ridden with sadness. Whether the sight itself or the unknown source was worse, he wasn’t sure. “I’m not sick.”

“Then what’s wrong?”

Marco didn’t answer him, and judging by how fast he looked away, it was clear that it was a touchy subject. His hands fidgeted together anxiously, his shoulders hunched up to try and hide between. There truly wasn’t anything to be worried over. And if he couldn’t be told what was going on, there was only one person who could help him.

“Where’s your phone?”

Marco spared him a glance. “Why?”

“I’m gonna call your cousin.”

“Jean, you can’t do that! She’s in class and—”

“What, shouldn’t be bothered with a need from the cousin she hasn’t seen in years?” Jean held out a hand, tapping his fingers against his palm in a “gimme” motion. He was not going to take no for an answer. It didn’t matter if he had to physically fight him for it; he would get the phone.

Thankfully, Marco was a pushover, and he pulled his phone out from his pocket, unlocked it, and handed it over with a heavy frown. Jean, opening up her contact and pressing the call button, stepped forward so that they were closer and ran a soothing hand through dark locks. It was amusing how easily the strands flipped up and away from his hand in one swoop. The ministrations brought a flustered blush to Marco’s cheeks, though Jean admired the way it appeared on him.

“ _ What the fuck, Marc _ ,” the retort broke through his end as the ringing stopped. “ _ You better be dying, because I was giving a kickass presentation just now. _ ”

“He knows, but he doesn’t wanna come to the phone right now,” Jean snorted.

Ymir paused, and her voice returned heavy and dark. “ _ I swear to fuck, this better not be a prank— _ ”

“It’s Jean, smartie, the one who shoves eclairs up his ass?” Marco smiled and giggled at the reminder of their first meeting, and it calmed him enough to fill him with improved confidence. “Marco needs you.”

The switch in her tone was almost scary; those three words were not a joke to her. He could tell she was already heading out wherever she was. “ _ Are you still in the library _ ?”

“First floor, to your right.”

“ _ Good. Be there in fifteen. _ ” And then she hung up on him, without hesitation. He was right to assume that she would be reliable enough to call for this situation. Although he didn’t know the people he hung out with, it was easier to explain the truth to Ymir than to have air signs eyeing his wrist suspiciously.

“You didn’t have to do that, you know,” Marco whispered, shutting his eyes at the hand carding through his hair.

“Someone’s gotta take care of you if you won’t do it yourself,and I’m not good enough to know what’s going on,” Jean retorted. He moved away to start packing up their things from the table, separating the printed articles with the respected printer. Marco watched him intently, doe-eyed and fidgety.

“It’s not that you’re not good enough. It’s just…,” he simply shrugged and eyed his hands, “really personal and not pretty.”

“None of us have pretty things about us. I never met my dad. I probably never will. It’s just something ugly that’s part of me, and I deal with it.”

That was enough to bring a frown, though Eren appeared much too suddenly and much too ready to leave with Jean before it could be dealt with. His backpack was hanging from one shoulder, and he looked excited to see his boyfriend, if not a bit winded from his study session.

“Hey babe,” the brunet greeted with a grin and a kiss. Jean noticed Marco look away from it, and he wondered if that one confession earlier was just a ruse. “I just got done. Wanna head to Einstein and Bell’s for a coffee?”

“I’m actually gonna stay here and wait with Marco, if that’s alright,” he admitted with a gesture over his shoulder. “We, ah, got in some shit.”

Eren instantly turned to the Gemini with wide eyes. “Holy shit, what happened?”

“He was getting a book from a high shelf, and he fell back into the corner of a bookcase, so Ymir’s coming by to check it out and stuff.” Jean glanced over at the Gemini, who had nodded at the story, and their eyes briefly made contact before both were looking away. He didn’t have to lie and make up a bizarre story for something he didn’t even know about. But it wouldn’t have been right to watch him scramble for a response and not have one. Lying outright like that was the best way to cover it up.

“Shit, man, I’m sorry,” Eren frowned. “That sucks.”

“I’m alright,” Marco assured with a smile. “Nothing broke or bled. But I got really bad vertigo, so Ymir’s coming by to take me home.”

“That’s good at least.” He turned back to his boyfriend, and it hurt to stare back at teal eyes and know that he was completely oblivious to their lie. “You’re gonna wait here with him then?”

“Yeah, if that’s alright with you?” Jean wrapped an arm around his waist and pecked his forehead. The shorter embraced him and nuzzled against him at the sign of affection, and he was forced to return the favor. When he had started becoming irritated by something like that, he wasn’t sure. They had been trying to better their relationship, the last he remembered.

“I’ll be at E&B’s if you need me.” He smiled warmly at his boyfriend as he left the two alone. At least they had managed to get through the lie relatively unscathed. Only once he left, however, could Marco turn to him and smile. 

“You didn’t have to lie for me,” he said.

“It’s not a big deal,” the Arian assured him, his voice gentler than before. “I was the one who caused whatever happened—which I’m…I feel bad about it. So…”

A teasing smirk rose up at the corners of his lips. “Is that your way of apologizing?”

Jean looked away with a snort, but he closed the distance between them so he could brush his fingers through the cowlick-littered strands once more. “Take what you can get, right?”

Marco chuckled and paused, probably to take in the returning ministration. “Can you not say ‘I’m sorry’?”

“Not that blatant, no. I was never really the apologizing type to begin with. I can feel sorry, and I can know when I’ve fucked up, but it’s not as easy to say it out loud.”

“Hm. It sounds like you don’t want people to know you’re weak.”

“Yeah, something like that.”

“But if people knew you had that side to you, then it would be okay, because then they would know you’re in their shoes, and they’ll be able to trust you easily.”

Jean slowed down in his movements to gaze down at Marco, who was smiling up at him with a gentle warmth. It was almost reassuring to see how easy he smiled, how much he understood Jean without much effort and wasn’t judging him badly for it. But it was frightening to see how effortless it was to comprehend him—and how accurate it turned out to be. They had only just  started talking to one another today, hadn’t they? Was there some strange past life with flesh-eating monsters they were involved in that no one else knew about?

They returned to a comfortable silence, Jean not pushing for a response and Marco not asking for one. Soft hands continued to card through soft dark hair, while long arms kept him in a natural warmth via embrace. To anyone else, they might have looked like a couple. They could technically pass as one, thanks to the Sag’s location of a tattoo being one that can easily be hidden. They were only breaking laws and rules in their minds. And Jean wasn’t as phased by that thought as he would have been. He didn’t react badly when Ymir appeared from out of nowhere and started pestering her cousin like a worried mother hen. And when they lingered behind as they walked out together, and Marco leaned over to kiss his cheek with a smile and a quiet “thank you,” Jean couldn’t find it in himself to be mad. 


	9. Encountered

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first time the twelve meet in the same room. Expectations are just a dream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Halfway point of the chapter coming up :^) for now enjoy the tension of some boys and protective friends/relatives
> 
> Also, for the record: Nanaba, Rene, Henning and Gelgar do not have birthdays like the other vets so I just sorta guessed where they would be based on what I know of them

_ Since she had arrived on campus for the first time two years ago, Nanaba had been successful to the standards she set for herself. Her social life was well-managed, especially the part where she was forced to keep her Scorpio best friend a secret, and her academics were on track. She had a good job that got her more experience to add to her degree in social work. Her parents hadn’t even touched the good vibes she had created on her own. With three semesters left until she graduated, she was sure that she was heading down the right path, even if she ended up in unfortunate situations that were not always avoidable. The prime example was the day after the masquerade ball, at an hour she had no idea how to calculate. _

_ Her first realization was the splitting headache that erupted suddenly against her skull. That was the clear hangover she had unfortunately forgotten to prepare herself for. Second was the clump of blankets around her and the pillow beneath her head, all unfamiliar to her. She was not in the right room, and wherever she had ended up was loud. In fact, it was the third realization of her predicament that had disturbed her, the concerned tremble of a female voice, light and jumpy and one she had heard too many times before.  _

_ “—can’t keep on inviting a Virgo into our apartment! It's unsafe, and she could have a disease—” _

_ “She’s clean, Rene,” the soft sound of Mike’s voice coming from the next room woke her up a bit more. He didn’t sound as calm and collected, like she was used to hearing. Some of it remained, naturally, but most of it was leveled with pure exhaustion, like the conversation had worn him down after hearing it for two years. _

_ “How do you know for sure?!” _

_ “I know.” _

_ “You can’t just ‘know’ these things, Mike. That’s not how it works.” _

_ “It works for me.” _

_ Nanaba let out a loud yawn and stretched, bending back and nearly lifting off the bed before settling down with a plop. As entertaining as this was, she was hungry and desperate for something to get rid of her headache. Relieved to see that she had somehow changed into regular clothes last night, she shuffled out of the bedroom and into the living room of a rather nicely decorated apartment. It felt almost like she was living on a beach, the windows wide and revealing the sights of the city below. It would have been nicer if there weren’t three pairs of eyes staring at her, two gawking and one exasperated.  _

_ “Hey, Rene,” Nanaba greeted with a wave of her hand. “Good to see you and Henning are okay.” _

_ The two males in the room held her gaze, but the woman—Rene—ignored her and turned to the Scorpio with a crossed frown. “Mike—” _

_ “We can talk about it later,” Mike said, though mostly in dull exasperation. _

_ “We live here too!” _

_ “You’re gonna be late.” _

_ Rene huffed but tugged on Henning’s arm and departed from the apartment on quick feet. Mike watched them leave in disinterest before he handed Nanaba a Tylenol pill and a bottle of unopened water, both which she took with thanks. _

_ “That sounded fun,” she simpered, taking the pill swiftly and chugging down her drink. _

_ “It was okay,” Mike replied with a shrug. _

_ “Could have used a different argument though. The disease one is getting old.” _

_ He smiled softly in amusement. “Sorry if they woke you.” _

_ “It’s fine. Better now than suffer later.” She took another swig of water. Cancerians Rene and Henning had been good friends of Mike’s and his roommates once he moved off-campus. However, the former had not taken the fact that a Virgo had created a strong bond with him very lightly. It almost looked as if they were going to hit the last straw soon. “By the way, do you know what happened last night? Because I know for a fact I did not wear this to the masquerade.” _

_ The Scorpio leaned against the counter with a thoughtful hum. “Well, you drank a lot of spiked punch, for one. Then you picked a fight with the cellist and almost stabbed someone's eye out with the bow. And then you stuffed cheese in your bra ‘for later’ before you got kicked out.” _

_ Nanaba checked down the shirt she had on to see if there was anything left over. Almost instantly, her nose scrunched at the stench. “Oh yeah, that's cheese.” _

_ "Mhm. Also, we might have sold your shoes to an old man using a golf club as a cane, and then smoked pot with some preacher’s kids on the way back, but I don't even remember a lot of what happened.” _

_ She shrugged. “So not too surprising.” There had been worst in the past year alone. _

_ Mike snorted. “The night somehow always ends with you taking off your clothes and going to sleep in my shirt.” _

_ “What can I say? I like flannel pants and giant t-shirts.” _

_ The duo sat in silence, looking off somewhere distant, before Mike stood up and retrieved a drink for himself. As Nanaba grabbed an apple from the center of the bowl on the counter, the vivid green tattoo peeked out from the shirt of the sleeve she wore. Because of its location, its presence was never a big deal to her. She covered it up without an issue, and only exposed it when the weather was hotter than she could tolerate. But seeing it peek out from the sleeve created thoughts she was not yet ready to approach. They were both risking their lives for a friendship they were not supposed to have in the first place. For nearly ten years, their lives could have been shaped completely different than what they actually were. If Gelgar had brought his walkie-talkie, would she have even cared to look out her window at a long-haired boy who was taller than she could have ever imagined and was someone she felt comfortable enough to be herself around? _

_ “Mike?” _

_ The taller looked over at her, eyebrows raised in question. _

_ “If your friends don’t want you to talk to me anymore…just know that I would still want to talk to you. Alright? And if you ever need me to, I don’t know, be there for you, or something…I will be. Just so you know.” _

_ At first, Mike remained expressionless, and Nanaba was worried she had said something wrong. Or perhaps he didn’t feel comfortable talking about the subject right now, especially since it was right after his friends had left. But then he smiled, something she recognized and gave her relief. He held up a hand, fingers spread out, and she did the same. _

_ “I already knew that.” _

_ The Virgo stayed with Mike for a good portion of the day, the duo wandering around the kitchen for food to cure their hangovers. At first, they had tried to make brownies, but ended up spilling the mix on the floor instead. Cupcakes were their next option, but the icing was splattered on the walls more than it was on the burnt cake bits. In the long run, they ended up calling a bakery chain that delivered cookies. They sat outside, battling over the remains of their snack, before she had to leave. Rene and Henning would be returning soon, and it would be better for them if Nanaba wasn’t there. With one last joking shove, picking up her dress before she left, she made her way across the parking lot to the other side, where her apartment was located. _

_ Whatever Mike decided to do, she would support him in it, even if it ended up hurting her. Nanaba could only assume that he would be talking to his friends in the near future, possibly when they got back home. She couldn’t make his decisions for him, and she wasn’t going to start doing so anytime soon. If he was somehow convinced out of their friendship, she didn’t want to hold him down, no matter how much pain she could already expect. But she had faith in her Scorpio friend, and she knew his decision would be right in the long run. _

_ The blonde female struggled to pull her keys out of whatever pocket held it, but before she could find them, she was startled by a slap on the shoulder and a rough twirl. She nearly shouted in alarm, if it weren’t for the familiar face she came in close contact with. “Jeez, Gelgar—” _

_ “This is the fifth walk of shame I’ve caught you in,” her roommate teased lightly with a smirk, prodding at her arm. “Can’t I relish this moment?” They had parted ways once they had gotten to the ball, and yet the smell of alcohol still wafted off of him. He looked like he hadn’t slept in hours, and knowing him, Nanaba was sure he would somehow be able to stay awake. _

_ “It’s a friend’s. I didn’t have anything else to wear.” _

_ “A friend as in ‘we just had sex and might get off later’? Or friend as in ‘we talked through walkie-talkies for twelve years’?” _

_ Nanaba finally unlocked the door, and stepped inside their apartment with a roll of her eyes. “You smell like whiskey.” _

_ “That’s because I haven’t showered yet.” Gelgar grabbed a drink from the fridge, but Nanaba ripped it out of his grip and put it back. “Oh come on!” _

_ “How about you take a shower and then you can have this.” _

_ “Only if you answer my question.” _

_ “Which is?” _

_ “Did you ride his Scorpion?” _

_ Nanaba smacked his arm and shoved him out of the kitchen cackling.”You’re disgusting!” _

_ Meanwhile, when he returned to his apartment, Mike made a phone call to a number he had picked up last night before he and Nanaba had left the masquerade. The slip of paper no bigger than a business card had a number written in bold handwriting and the instructions “Ask for Smith” underneath it. He had forgotten about it until he had cleaned up his clothes that morning. It poked out from a pocket and caught his eye, and, remembering what it was, he made sure to call as soon as he was alone. _

_ “ _ Yes? _ ” A deep voice ended the repetitive rings. _

_ Mike let out a sigh, shutting his eyes to gather his thoughts, and then spoke before the person on the other line hung up. “I’m looking for Smith.” _

_ There was a pause, and then the soft creak of a chair. The smirk in the voice practically bled through to the other side. “ _ Call me Erwin. _ ” _

 

Chapter 9: Encountered

 

Two days after their time in the library, a Wednesday, Armin scheduled the volunteers to a meeting at their usual spot to review the material they had gathered. This time, the three whose decision was still negative would be joining them as well. Annie was being forced to, only because Eren and Jean would be there and she wanted to see what they did as a group. And the heightened interest Reiner and Sasha had shown was something that Armin was hoping to improve on. But all in all, they had managed to research and review their topic and understand what they were getting into. Now, after note-taking and note-sharing, it was time to discuss their next plan of action, and while he had an idea on what he wanted, Armin didn’t want to force it on the eight when he had just won their support.

Ymir hadn’t been particularly fond of the research part, mostly because there was no need to meet up. Most of the time, she was reading or looking at Mikasa’s notes, drinking cheap beer or putting on trashy television to distract herself. Even then, she didn’t want to be bothered with a boring commentary. What she really wanted was to see the tiny blonde Capricorn who had taunted her with wayward glances and soft brushes against her arm in departure. The last sighting had been nothing but the blonde focused on her roommate more than anything.

So when she arrived at the room with Mikasa, Armin and Connie already inside, she stood outside and waited obviously. It took the three Arians and her cousin (the latter who scolded her in disappointment when she explained what she was doing) to pass by before she heard the voice higher in pitch coming around the corner, talking about something or other. Almost instantly, Ymir started to dig into her bag and pockets to hide her waiting. It was when the Caps walked by without even a glance towards her that she followed them into the room and walked right into their backs.

“Oh, sorry,” she apologized, looking up at the two and smiling. Both turned to her and reassured her, but they returned to the previous conversation. Ymir lunged forward before she could lose her once more. She was not going to make this a continuous thing. “Hey, you’re, uhh—” how could she not remember her name? “Hannah, right?”

The petite Capricorn gave her an incredulous stare. “Historia.”

“Historia, right!” She ignored the fact that her sigh of relief was so awkward, already aware of how much she was screwing up. It was embarrassing enough she couldn’t remember her name. “Sorry, it’s not something you hear every day.”

“Kinda like Ymir,” she pointed out with a frown.

Ouch. The brunette winced at the comeback. “Eheh, yeah, um…”

Historia sighed and turned to her friend. “Bert, I’ll meet you inside.” The taller nodded and left the duo on their own, in the hallway. “Look, you seem really nice, Ymir, but I don’t really know what you want from me.”

“What are you talking about?” Ymir laughed, her anxiety seeping into the sound. She hoped that she didn’t look as nervous as she sounded.

She smiled, though it was mostly restrained. “Let me explain. I remember seeing you a few weeks back at Twelve Drummers, and it looked like you were checking me out. And then we got into this, and it almost feels like you won’t stop trying to get my attention. I mean, you sit as close to me as you can and try to make some sort of contact—but that’s just how I've seen it. So I guess this is me asking—what do you want from me?”

Ymir gulped to try and clear her throat and manage some type of answer, but she failed to get anything out. She had never been one for subtlety, and anyone she had been with previously had recognized her attempts to flirt and pushed back. They conversed with her, followed her leads and pulled her to theirs, and understood her point. But Historia didn’t seem too informed on her methods. Capricorns were labeled as stuffy, sure, but she hadn’t thought it would be this bad.

“It’s, um,”  _ fib or truth, fib or truth, fib or truth— _ “I wanna talk to you. Yeah.”

“Oh.” Blue eyes—and they were a pretty blue, a periwinkle that showed up on clear spring days—blinked in astonishment, and she chuckled. “Well, why didn’t you?”

Ymir shifted on her feet. Shit, she wasn’t supposed to answer that, was she? “Why didn’t I…?”

“Talk to me.”

“Oh. Umm.”  _ Think of something quick, something she can believe.  _ “That’s a good question.”

“Well, when you come up with an answer, let me know, alright?” Historia gave one last smile, forced and not very friendly, before she finally walked into the room. Ymir was left dumbfounded, standing in the doorway and gaping at the spot where the shorter woman had been standing. That had not gone the way she had wanted, and she wished the seriousness of wanting a relationship hadn’t jeopardized anything for her. Because if so, this was about to be a lot harder than she had anticipated.

Marco jumped and looked up at her when she slammed her bag down beside him. “What’s wrong?” He asked with genuine concern. 

“Shut up,” she growled back and plopped down beside him. “I’m great.”

Ymir was able to get distracted by reading the papers Mikasa tossed her way. It took a little while, but she was able to get back to herself, though the searing rage was still blaring in her eyes. Historia seemed unfazed, laughing and smiling freely with the redwood and the cueball, but no matter. She didn’t need the approval of a tiny beautiful goddess for happiness. Besides, at this point, there was only one other thing that was infuriating to everyone, and it was the fact that the Leos still hadn’t showed up.

“I don’t understand why they’re not here,” Armin mused under his breath once it hit the fifteen minute mark of their scheduled start time. He turned to Annie, who was leaning against the wall and not paying attention to them until he spoke. “Have you heard anything from either of them?”

She scoffed. “I’m not here to join you,” she retorted. 

“I’m not asking for your membership. I’m asking if you’ve heard anything from the Leos.”

“Why me?”

“It looked like you had a history with them.”

“I don’t care about either of them. Sorry about it.”

“Didn’t you and Reiner use to play together or something?” Eren wondered in genuine interest “Like as kids?”

At that moment, when it looked like Annie was about to snap, the duo in question stumbled through the door casually, as if they had arrived on time. The brunette waved to the group as she shut the door with a kick, her mouth full of French fries. “Hi!”

“You were supposed to be here at six-thirty, not midnight,” Ymir sneered. 

“We had somewhere to be,” Reiner insisted. 

“Yeah, and that's here.”

“But it’s not like we’re actually  _ with  _ you guys, so it doesn't matter,” added Sasha.

“That’s true, but I invited you two here in case you change your minds, and we didn’t have to wait for you,” Armin pointed out. “We’re not just doing this for you guys.”

“Jeez, take it easy. You can’t tame a lion.” At her statement, she winked at Connie, who flushed a deep scarlet before turning away. 

The Scorpio let out an exasperated breath as the Leos took a seat at the very end of the table, the same spots the Arians had been in last time. “So, I want to accomplish two things while we’re here: recap what was found from the library on Tuesday, and start thinking of what we can do as an attack. Not exactly physical, but something concrete that proves the point we want to make. It can’t be too assertive; if we put too much, they’ll see it as anarchy, and that has never been the answer for this problem. We need to do something…discreet, but approachable.” Armin looked over Eren beside him with a smile. “But while we wait on that, we found something about the cause of the Four Elements Act.”

Eren scrambled to regather his papers, some flying out of his grasp or sticking out of place, but he reorganized it with a small push against the side. “Okay, so we knew from the Capricorns’ interview that it was caused by a lawsuit. But  _ Armin _ found the actual record in one of the books. It was led by Erwin Smith and Levi Ackerman, who used their friends as the main ‘points’ or witnesses for their argument.”

“So what Rene told us a few weeks back is true,” Historia confirmed.

“For the most part, but even though it was there, the legal record wasn’t very specific about what happened,” Armin remarked with a heavy frown. “So even if we did find out more about it, it's not much at all. We don’t even know if they’re alive.”

“Have you tried looking them up in the university?” Sasha wondered. 

“All afternoon, yesterday and today.”

“Let me try. I’m pretty much a mogul at this kind of thing. I can find them for you.”

“I thought you weren’t part of this,” Connie said, and the brunette Leo fell silent, as if embarrassed to have said anything.

“Well, what matters is that she can still help us,” the Scorpio countered. “We need to meet with them, if they’re alive, and see what they know. If they can help us, then we can figure out how to approach the government with this.”

“That sounds dandy, but I agree with the cueball,” Ymir declared with a raised hand. “I think they should join us first before doing anything.”

“Can you do it now?” Mikasa asked, walking over to place her laptop in front of Sasha. The latter nodded vigorously. “Then do it.”

“What if they don’t want to work with us?” Marco wondered.

"We’ll just have to convince them to help us,” Armin sighed. “It’s the only way we can actually figure out what happened.” He straightened up with a shake of his head, and the worried expression was cleared from his face. Instead, it was replaced by a smile. “Bert, Historia, what did you guys find in the records we sent over?”

The shorter of the duo stood with a clearing of her throat. She seemed to be more focused on the paper that was in front of her than on the crowd of eleven gazing at her. “Most of what we looked through were court records to find more information on situations where someone challenged segregation laws, and there are definitely more cases than what any of us have read before. But they all carried a theme that focused either on children or marriage. Marriage has shown up consistently, but children seems to show up intensely in ten-year intervals, usually reaching a high before a new law is introduced.” Her next words brought an unsettled grimace to her features. “Some of the cases even involved people in this room—but that’s neither here nor there.”

“That’s some private info you have, don’t you think?” Ymir smirked in a sneering tone. 

“We aren’t going to say anything about the issues specifically,” Bertolt reassured. “Not unless anyone wants us to.”

“I even appeared in the records, if that helps,” Historia added. 

“Why you?” Jean asked. He had been quiet since he had entered the room; Marco had tried to converse with him, but he seemed to be ignoring him. His curiosity was a minor shock.

“For adoption papers, mostly—I was raised by Bertolt’s aunt. But there was also a court date for confirmation that I was a Capricorn, since my birth parents were Aquarians.”

“I probably had the same thing,” Marco said. “My mom’s an Aquarius, but my dad’s a Gemini, and the courts wanted to make sure of it, for some reason. Something about avoiding future legal issues for custody or something? They can’t marry, but apparently it was an issue they wanted to address.”

The tiny blonde nodded with an agreeing hum. “Yeah, we saw that. You also showed up for an adoption—”

“Probably for Mikasa’s,” Ymir interrupted. “When my parents took her in, they had to go through the courts, since my aunt married a Two-Face.”

“Ymir, stop,” her cousin scolded.

“But you were going to live with Ymir?” Armin asked. Mikasa nodded, and he hummed in interest. “That's interesting.

“Did I show up?” Annie wondered from the other side of the room, hesitant yet curious. 

Bertolt shuffled through a few papers before finding his answer. “Yeah, twice. Once in 1999, and another in 2003.”

The shorter hesitated before she nodded. When she noticed the Capricorn’s look of pity, she scowled and glared off to the side. “My parents got married for the benefits. They tried to be happy about it, but it just made things worse… Twenty-two years and they never slept in the same room together.” She focused her gaze on Bertolt, who winced underneath the fiery stare. “If you try to apologize for it—”

“I-I’m not,” he assured her, hands raised defensively. “That’s the last thing I want to do.”

“Good.” Annie crossed her arms, almost turning in on herself. “It’s not what I need.”

Bertolt, still anxious from the furious glare that he had been under, shifted in his seat and looked over to Armin. “There was also something for y—”

“You don’t have to go further,” he cut him off, a hidden strain behind the smile he was somehow able to pull off. “I know.”

“That’s basically it, then. I mean, aside from…” He stole a quick glimpse at Sasha, currently hunched over the laptop, tongue between her teeth. Although she was oblivious to the stare, Reiner had caught it and looked from the Capricorn to his roommate in confusion. 

“We found this, as well,” Historia said as she passed Eren a slip of paper, flipped upside-down. When he picked it up, stepping away from the table to read it, his eyes widened and his face turned pale. “We aren’t sure how much you know, but…if this is the first you’re hearing about it, I’m so sorry.”

The Arian glanced up at her briefly to shake his head, though there was a distant glint in his eyes. “No, it’s…” The words caught his gaze and held it, and he swore they were spinning off the page and hovering towards him, intended to shatter everything he thought he knew. “I, ah…” When he trailed off, his legs lost the ability to hold him up any longer, and he plopped down in his seat. 

For a moment, the silence in the room was suffocating, as the lack of an understandable response from the brunet left the room in a mixture of wait and withheld intrigue. If Jean was concerned at all by his partner’s behavior, he didn't show it.

“Did the people you interview ever say what their college was?” Sasha suddenly spoke, glancing up from the screen briefly. “I found a few Erwin’s that might match, but I think I can hack into the school’s database and find previous student records.”

“It was Mitras University,” Bertolt answered. “They closed in 2017 and merged here.”

“You’re a hacker?” Connie wondered in disbelief. 

The Leo shrugged. “It’s a hobby. It was either this or culinary, and they had already banned me.”

“So, if no one has any questions,” Armin started, but was cut off by Marco. 

“Ah, Jean and I didn’t go!” He stated, jumping to his feet. The Arian beside him rolled his eyes at the outburst. 

“It’s not like we found anything important,” he scowled. “Why do we need to report it?”

“Just in case! Plus, your essay still made a good point!”

Jean's eyes widened and he leapt to his feet immediately before he tried to pry the paper out of his hands. “You are  _ not _ reading that shit out loud!”

Marco held the essay out of the shorter male’s reach. “I’m not going to read it, I was just going to show it off.”

“No, give it back!” Jean stood on his chair to try and retrieve it, but the Gemini had longer arms and successfully kept it away.

“Jean, relax! You’re freaking out over nothing!”

The shorter gritted his teeth together and dropped back down to the floor. “ _ I’m _ freaking out? Like how you freaked out Monday in the library bathroom because I pushed you?”

Marco halted at the reveal, and the pause Jean finally succeeded in getting the essay back. There was confusion amongst the others in the room, except for one, who stood from her chair and stood between them to glower at the fire sign.

“I’m sorry, did you just say you  _ pushed _ him?” Ymir sneered. “Because that is not what you told me on the phone.”

“It was one lie,” Jean rolled his eyes. “Chill out.”

“That was uncalled for,” Marco whispered, hurt layered in his voice. “What did I do to you?”

Initially, one would think, as those paying attention did then, that there was nothing to warrant the negative reaction from the Arian. That sign was known for their tempers either way, and Marco seemed nice to the point of having no enemies or possible way to create them. However, when Jean raised his hand and started to count off his fingers, his intentions were understood. “You tried to seduce me in the library, you kissed me, you were going to use my work without asking me beforehand—”

“That was a kiss on the  _ cheek _ ! How could that offend you?!”

“I’m dating someone, dummy! That’s how it can offend me!”

“Are you sure it didn’t offend you because you saw room for reasonable doubt in who you’re with?”

The next few seconds happened in a blur of skin and fists, too quick to properly comprehend. Jean had lunged for Marco, scratching his cheek in the process, and splayed his hand across his back, which caused the Gemini’s body to buck away from the touch. The yelp of surprise and pain that came from his mouth brought on Ymir’s own attack, a fist to the jaw and a tackle to the ground. She got a few more hits in before Mikasa picked her up effortlessly, Annie doing the same for Jean. The freckled female still seethed and glared at the male, who wiped off a streak of blood from his mouth. 

“You’re both ridiculous,” Marco seethed. He grasped at the reddening mark on the side of his face and glared at his cousin. “I know you’re really mad at Jean, and you’re mad at Historia for whatever happened earlier, but you seriously need to start calming down. And  _ you _ ,” he turned to Jean, who had somehow quieted down into silent rage, with a bit more force, “need to get your head figured out. I’m not gonna switch between friend and enemy for you.”

“You started it,” the Arian scowled. 

“Who cares who started it?! The only thing that matters to you is that  _ you’re _ right and everyone else is  _ wrong. _ I think you need to learn that making mistakes doesn't have to be all about finding out what went wrong. If we can learn from it, we should be able to use it.” Marco paused, and then he let out a sigh. His gaze hardening, he straightened up with a grunt and headed for the exit. “I’ll be outside.”

No one made a move to protest against him. Ymir and Mikasa let him go, even if the former almost followed after him. Jean sulked, turned away from everyone. There was a shared reaction of disbelief among the rest of the group from what had just conspired. Despite the sudden violence that had occurred, the situation helped put into retrospect just what they were dealing with: a lifetime of jail, the death penalty if they were horrible enough, for participating in their research and active involvement in planning a revolution. They weren’t guaranteed anything except danger and consequences.

“Aha! It took me a thousand Smiths, a lot of misspellings, maybe a quick peek into a government website, and a little backtracking, but I finally got it!” Sasha squealed suddenly, and slipped from her seat to Armin’s side. “Mitras University combined with Rose U only three months after the Four Elements Act was passed. Something about a masquerade or a party that the school banned or something. But I found the Smith guy! His email, his phone number, his ID—oh, he’s actually pretty handsome. But he’s alive!”

Armin took the laptop shoved into his hands and nodded his thanks. He skimmed down the page, still silent. “Thanks, Sasha.”

“Hey, is it too late to join you guys? Or do I have to send in my resume? Reiner, let’s join them now! I’m tired of playing hookie!”

Reiner broke out of his stupor to look over at his roommate; his gaze wandered briefly over to the Capricorns before he nodded. “Sounds good to me.”

* * *

“Hey, you alright?”

Marco glanced up at Historia and Bertolt, their hands full but hers still held out for him. He took it with quiet thanks and used it to pull himself up. The others involved in the rebellion had already left in their respected groups, Ymir practically forced along by Mikasa, and he certainly had tried to avoid the amber eyes that stole a quick glimpse over the shoulder at him. He wasn’t sure how long they had been out there, or what he had missed, but there was no doubt in his mind he would be hearing about it from his cousin later on.

“Your cheeks are really red,” Historia observed. “Come by our place for something warm to drink.”

“I appreciate the offer,” he smiled, more of a grimace than anything, “but I really need to get back home.”

“We’re right next to the Aquarians’ complex," Bertolt pointed out. “You won’t be far from something familiar.”

“If you don’t come with us, we’ll just walk you home,” the shortest added. “We won’t give in. So I’d play it safe and just agree with us.”

Marco hesitated, if only because the last thing he wanted was to cause an argument. On the other hand, he didn't want to be a burden to the duo when they had more important things to do. In his eyes, they were the directors of the production Armin was heading. While the Scorpio oversaw everything, the Capricorns were the ones who ran it. They had been the most loyal out of anyone, joining from the first day. Surely they were busy with other things than a troubled Gemini. 

Though if he stopped by for a little while, it wouldn’t do any harm. They both seemed genuinely kind and wanted to help him, even if they didn’t know the whole story of what affected him enough to leave the room. 

It was illegal. Pure suspicion of such activities could get them all thrown into prison. It wasn’t worth the risk. 

But it would help clear his thoughts. And who knew? Maybe he could even help Ymir build that bridge over to Historia. 

Either way, whatever his motive, he found himself walking between two Capricorns into the growing night, with promises of hot chocolate and popcorn and comfort. Marco didn’t care if he barely knew them: he needed this, now more than ever, and they seemed to be his best option yet. 


	10. Lies to Confessions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The truth is unavoidable. Everyone has a secret, but only some are willing to share.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kinda like chapter three but more inclusive of those around them and also a lot more dramatic idrk why this chapter is the way it is

_ “So how long is it going to be until you say what’s wrong?” _

_ It didn’t take very long for Levi to see that the group of four that always received complaints on volume or aggressiveness from their professor were silent for the first time. In the past few weeks he had gotten to know them, there was a certain routine they followed through with when they gathered. Normally, Eld would have been draping at least half of his body over into Gunther’s lap, snuggled up beside him or trying to worm his way in between his arms for a hug. But today, they were divided by a blaring piece of space filled by air and restraint. Petra and Auruo normally would have argued until their throats were raw from shouting, but they were just as separate. They both sat with their backs facing each other, forcing their eyes downward or anywhere that wasn’t at the person beside them. It was much more concerning than the other duo’s situation.  _

_ The redhead glanced up at Levi when he spoke, hazel eyes narrowing. “What do you mean?” She asked.  _

_ “Where do I start?” He pointed a finger at her and Auruo; “The lack of fighting,” he gestured to Eld and Gunther, “or the lack of lovebirds?” _

_ “Why do you care?” The Aquarian grumbled, slumped forward in his chair with his chin perched on his crossed arms resting on the tabletop. He looked more tired than aggravated, and any irritation was pointed at the shorter Capricorn.  _

_ “I’m just asking a question. It’s pretty strange for you to just suddenly stop doing what’s basically become routine now.” _

_ “Maybe it’s nothing for you to worry about,” Petra mumbled in a small voice. The sound of her voice had Auruo tensing, hands gradually curling into fists. _

_ Levi rolled his eyes. “Maybe it is, after hanging around all of you for the entire semester.” _

_ “Just drop it, Levi. What else do we need to do for our presentation?” _

_ Gunther and Eld shared a look, one of mutual understanding, before they fixed their gaze on Levi. “We’re just trying to keep things quiet,” the Leo clarified. “That’s all.” The shorter Capricorn raised an eyebrow at that, a quiet request to elaborate. “After the masquerade, we sort of…took things further than we’ve been used to.” _

_ “We had sex,” Eld admitted, jolting upward with a wince when his arm was smacked. “Ow—it’s not a lie!” _

_ His face turning a darker shade of red than what was natural, Gunther scowled. “I thought we agreed to lay low and not talk about it in public.” _

_ “I said like, one thing. I figured it wouldn’t be absolutely terrible, since you were already going on about it.” _

_ “Yeah, but I wasn’t saying it loud enough so everyone can hear.” _

_ “You are the weirdest Leo, holy shit. Who cares if they hear? What are they gonna do, tattle? Raise our taxes?” _

_ “You don’t pay taxes yet.” _

_ “They’ll find a way.” _

_ Before Levi had a chance to butt in again, Petra was straightening up and interrupting the growing argument. “I think we need to get back to work on our project. That sounds like a good idea, right?” _

_ “What about you?” Levi pressed. “You and Auruo aren’t ripping each other’s heads off.” _

_ “I think another group needs your help, Levi. We should start splitting up who’s gonna say what. Does that work for everyone?” _

_ Eld and Gunther gave their agreement, and Levi left them alone for now. If he hadn’t met Erwin Smith earlier that semester, if they hadn’t talked about his plan, if Levi himself wasn’t so compelled to make his dream a reality, then he would have let it go. He would have respected Petra’s wishes and even apologize for pushing her to talk when she didn’t, but he swore to that bastard Libra that he would find the perfect components for his project. He couldn’t attach himself to his friends now. He had to give himself to Erwin’s request.  _

_ After class dismissed and dispersed, Levi noticed Auruo and Petra leaving just seconds apart from one another. Curiosity overcame him and he followed after them to see if they would be heading somewhere else more private. He had already planted the cards for the other two, just as Erwin had asked, and if he could get a confirmation on the other pair’s relationship, he could accomplish what he was set out to do that day. _

_ “—haven’t talked all class, and I’m not letting you ignore me any longer!” _

_ “Quit it, Petra. Not here.” _

_ “I don’t care where it is. I’m getting an answer out of you, whether you wanna say it or not.” _

_ “Are you kidding me? You just got on Levi for doing the same thing.” _

_ Levi leaned against the wall, pulling out his phone and pretending to be interested in what was on the screen. The duo was just around the corner, so his presence was out of sight to them, but open to anyone passing by.  _

_ “Auruo, you didn’t talk to anyone for the entire class,” Petra stated. “And every time I’ve tried to talk to you after the ball, you’ve either ignored me or pushed me away. I thought you wanted to talk and go somewhere.” _

_ “I do, Petra,” Auruo groaned, through gritted teeth. Levi could imagine him grounding his nails into his palms, resisting the urge to lunge out.  _

_ “Then what is it?! I can’t play these guessing games with you!” _

_ “You deserve a lot better than me!” _

_ “If I did, I would be chasing after it. But I’m not.” The words were said with reluctance, as if saying it was hard enough for her. Being shy was not part of her vocabulary. “I’m chasing after you.” _

_ “Petra…” He sighed, and there was the sound of shuffling forward. His voice dropped in volume. “I don’t want to hurt you.” _

_ “If I can’t take it, then I don’t deserve to be with you in the first place. We can all be difficult to be around, some of us more than others. But it’s the people who face us at our worst moments who really deserve our attention.” _

_ Auruo attempted to speak several times, but each time, he stumbled over his words and he struggled to comprehend what had been said. Petra had to have noticed the dilemma, for his stammering stopped, a brief muffled noise pushing through, as if there was something holding his lips down. When he was finally able to speak again, it was in a small and shaky voice. “After the ball…did you mean all those things you said? About wanting to get to know me more?” _

_ “If I didn’t, I would have never said anything,” she admitted quietly, a secret only they could share. “I never considered you past what I saw before, and I want to make up for it now.” _

_ “You don’t have to—” _

_ “No, I do. I want to. For you. And for us.” _

_ For a moment, there was a brief pause, and then Auruo was laughing, quiet and in disbelief. “You’re really something else, Ral.” _

_ “Mm. I guess so.” _

_ “Hey. You’re amazing. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.” _

_ "If you call doing laundry at 3 AM because you can smell my bras through two layers of clothing ‘amazing’, then sure.” _

_ “That’s disgusting.” _

_ “Yeah, but you’re an asshole.” _

_ “Touché.” _

_ Their conversation ended then, but as Levi turned his head past the corner, he nearly ran into them. Both stepped back to avoid knocking into him, but he collided with them regardless. He gave his apologies and handed a paper to them, with the allegation that they had left it behind. The sheet itself was something they had already gotten before, but Erwin’s information was paper clipped to the corner. Neither said anything else, probably preoccupied in investigating what he had given them, but he slipped into the awaiting elevator without so much as a second glance behind him before they could pursue him. He had accomplished the goal. _

 

Chapter 10: Lies and Confessions

 

From the moment Marco had sat down in the Capricorns’ apartment, Historia and Bertolt made sure he was well cared for. They welcomed him to their home and any service they might have, seating him in the kitchen. Historia made him a cup of homemade hot chocolate, complete with marshmallows and whipped cream with chocolate shavings dribbled on top. They kept their distance, in terms of conversation topics, most likely to give the Gemini space, even though he never requested it. He was grateful that they hadn’t pushed him to talk about what had happened.

Historia returned to the kitchen, her hair piled on top of her head in a bun, and started to make her own drink. “Do you need anything else, Marco?” She asked. “You’re welcome to have any snacks we may have.”

“I think I’m good for right now, but thanks anyway,” he grinned, taking another sip of hot chocolate. “This is really good, though!”

She bowed her head to hide a shy smile. “Thank you. We usually don’t make it unless it’s a special occasion. It’s a little tradition we like to have.”

“How long have you been doing it?”

“Well,  _ Bubbe _ used to make it for us when we were kids, but after she died, Bertolt’s Aunt Bea took over. She made it from scratch every time.”

“Oh wow.” Marco gazed at the drink in wonder. “From scratch?”

“Mhm. Whipped cream and everything. It usually doesn’t take long to make, but it’s something special. She only did it for us.”

The freckled male smiled past the rim of the mug. “Aunt Bea sounds amazing.”

“She is.” Historia gazed down at her feet, her happiness dimming. “She’s the closest I’ve ever gotten to having a mother.”

Marco, setting the cup down, frowned and waited until she had sat down to reach across the table to pat her hand. He had no idea what her story was, but he offered her a comforting smile either way. “I’m sure she was a great mother to you.”

The blonde smiled in return with gratitude. “She is. She truly is.”

He waited for the silence to settle between them before cautiously asking his question. “How did you end up going from a member of the most powerful Aquarian family to the average Capricorn household?” The words were out before he could bite them back. He regretted asking such a serious topic when he knew so little about her, and yet his curiosity overcame him. He blamed his thirst for knowledge, for wanting to know everything and anything that happened.

The Capricorn, obviously, did not share his enthusiasm. She tensed and shifted out of his grasp with a grimace. Her shoulders raised as if to shield her from the world around her. They almost seemed like a barrier to Marco, from what he wasn’t sure, but it certainly involved getting him away from seeing something. “We should be having a discussion about tonight, not my backstory.”

Bertolt, towel over his waist and hair still damp from his shower, padded into the kitchen, humming to himself. He momentarily broke up the conversation taking place to grab a bottle of water, apparently not even noticing the effect his presence had made. With the fridge opened, Marco had a better view at the assorted decorations on the outside. It was one of the largest rumors among signs that Capricorns were dull characters, workaholics who had all emotions detached from their person the second they were born. And yet seeing the small comic about political parties on the fridge, held up by a magnet that said “Well Behaved Women Rarely Make History”, he couldn’t understand how it fit.

There were pictures hanging on the wall, frames holding in cherished memories, with bright smiles and sunny days. There was a well-grown plant in one corner, an overflowing bookcase in the other, and in between sat an entertainment center with a TV in the center and numerous DVD cases in its shadow. And if he wasn’t mistaken, there were two cats wandering around, one lounging on the navy blue couch and one at Bertolt’s feet. The pair were not bland; they were simple, neat, and certainly well-organized. He suspected their rooms mimicked the style.

“The short version is,” Historia began, her voice small and sad, “sometimes you just get lucky. Sometimes, when you’re almost dead from malnutrition, miracles drop by. If Aunt Bea hadn’t ever opened up her flower shop, or made one delivery on her own because it was a block away from her, I might have been dead by that night or the next. If she had been able to have kids, maybe I would have gone up for adoption and be an afterthought in her mind. But she took me with her, because she wanted someone to care for, and she couldn’t let me fight on my own. Not in late January. Not ever.”

Bertolt had shut the fridge and joined the duo quietly, sitting down at the table. He stayed silent, save the quiet whispers he spoke to the cat that had hopped into his lap and climbed on top of his shoulders. Marco simply took in the info, his hands twiddling with the mug’s handle. Inside, he buzzed with enthusiasm from finding out a vague yet indisputable fact about the duo. Ymir would be livid with him. 

The reminder of his cousin changed his mood drastically, his smile fading and his fists clenching against the cup. He felt at peace and didn’t want anything from outside the apartment to disturb that. Neither of the earth signs questioned his actions or pushed for an answer, something he internally thanked them for once again.

“So, ah,” he finally cleared his throat after a too long period of silence. “Tonight. Um…where do I start?”

“The library might be a good place,” Bertolt suggested. “It sounds like that’s where everything started.”

“If you feel comfortable with it, of course,” Historia added. “You’re not obligated to tell us anything.”

“Thank you,” Marco assured her with a drawn-out sigh. “It’s just…I never really got the chance to do this sorta thing. Sitting down and talking about how I feel.”

The blonde looked shocked, almost horrified, at the information given. “Why not?” 

“It’s just not how I handle things. Usually, I keep everything to myself until the problem either goes away or it just…comes out at another time, I guess.”

“You can’t keep things bottled up inside, though. Otherwise, it’ll all just end up coming back out when it’s not supposed to and—”

“That’s his thing, Tori,” Bertolt interrupted softly. “We do things differently, and that’s okay.”

Marco smiled in a mixture of thanks and bittersweet, Historia glancing away in guilt. “There’s some truth to it, though. It’s not really healthy. I remember this one time, I got mad at Ymir for stealing my crayons—it was a sixty-four pack, and they were a birthday gift, and she didn’t ask if she could use them. And I didn’t say anything about it for a long time until Mikasa asked me if she could borrow them, and I…I was just having a bad day, and I snapped, and I don’t think I had ever done that to her before…”

“It was an accident, though. Stuff like that is just hard to predict, you know?”

“I guess… Still doesn’t change the fact that I hurt her.” The memories he faced reminded him of what had happened a few hours earlier, with the Arian accusing him of something that was so out of proportion. His anger was refueled, and he could feel his fury growing, gathering in a combination of many things that he hadn’t thought about for a while, since he had reunited with Ymir. “You don’t believe Jean, right?”

The Capricorns shared a look, a quick glimpse at one another—for reassurance perhaps? But for what?

“He blew everything out of proportion. At the library, when we were going through the databases online, there was an accident and he called my cousin to come check on me. I may have kissed him, but it wasn’t like I was trying to seduce him. It wasn’t even romantic, it was in thanks for helping, but it wasn’t just that. It was…” Marco closed his eyes, willing himself to calm down and not snap at the listening pair. “I thought it was what he needed. When we were leaving, he looked so confused and sad and I hate seeing people feel like they’re not worth it. I can’t stand it. I thought I was helping him.”

“Maybe he doesn’t think he deserves it,” Historia offered. “Or maybe he just doesn’t want you to help him.”

“I wasn’t trying to do anything against him though! Sure, I flirted with him a little bit, but it wasn’t like I was intentionally trying to hurt his feelings!” Neither of the earth signs looked at him, Bertolt nudging the cat off his shoulders and Historia taking a sip from her drink. If he didn’t know any better, he would say they looked uncomfortable. “It wasn’t my fault that he took offense to something so little.”

“Maybe he’ll apologize the next time you see him. We’re guaranteed to see him again.”

The Gemini frowned at that. “’Maybe’s can only do you so much good.”

There wasn’t much to talk about after that—not out of a lack of want, but because there was not much else to say. Both Capricorns tidied up and prepared for whatever they had to accomplish tomorrow. They still kept up small talk with their guest, eventually transforming into their shared majors and what they wished to accomplish with it after graduation. Marco, once he had finished his drink, tried to leave, but the duo offered their home to him, Bertolt opening his room for him, and he couldn’t resist. Despite the previous conversation topic, their hospitality had warmed his heart and won him over.

Marco had decided to take a shower, and as he undressed, Historia dropped off clean towels for him to use. However, before she could leave, her eyes caught something strange, a sight she could not remember seeing before. A Gemini’s tattoo was located on their back, usually below their shoulders, as argument that they were too obvious and outspoken that they didn’t need a visual branding for society to know who they were. The blonde had seen the symbol before, and the sky blue color was not unfamiliar to her. But she found it wrong to call Marco’s a tattoo: it was an indent, gnarled and red and deep, pressed into his skin like a cookie cutter against dough. It stretched along his entire back, from the tips of his shoulders to his hips, curving and connecting by two parallel lines that framed his spine. It was not a tattoo. It was a branding, an old-fashioned method that was supposedly outlawed but allegedly used as a form of punishment in certain situations. And whatever wrong had occurred for the Gemini to receive it was unbeknownst to her.

She didn’t ask Marco about it, and she didn’t tell Bertolt. It just didn’t feel right.

* * *

As soon as she stepped through the threshold, Ymir let out her frustration in a mixture of languages. She was just as fluent in Spanish as she was in English, and she knew enough German to get by. But when she combined them and tripped over her tongue to get them out, Mikasa knew it was time to either let her blow off steam now and possibly break something or stop her before she got out of control.

“Ymir,” she tried in what was hoped as a call to stop, but she was ignored. The freckled female grabbed Mikasa’s shoulders and grasped them tautly. 

“ _ That French asshole, _ " she grumbled in Spanish, swearing in German. " _ He thinks he’s so fucking macho. Like he owns the fucking place. He’s just a worthless piece of human trash. _ ”

“He’s just a jerk, Ymir. Don’t worry about him.”

Ymir’s eyes widened and she stepped back as if she had been scalded. She switched back to English, but the accent lingered in her words. “He hurt  _ Marco _ ! How could you be so indifferent about this?!”

“Because Marco can handle himself just fine. And I’m sure he’s alright.”

“You know just as well as I do that he is nowhere near being ‘alright’!” Mikasa forced her to sit on the couch. “It’s the truth!”

“Stay here.” She walked into the kitchen and retrieved the bottle of wine from atop the fridge. She came back with the bottle and two glasses, and then sat down beside her roommate. Ymir had relaxed into the couch, slumped and worn down, but the sight of alcohol was enough to perk her up a bit. It wasn’t until she had had a few sips before she spoke up, this time in recognizable and clear English. 

“Whatever Marco did to that boy…” She paused to ponder on her words. "I really hope it wasn’t bad enough that he reports him. I might just have to rip him apart.”

“You don’t have to do anything,” Mikasa replied.

“Like hell I do. That’s my cousin; he’s practically my brother.”

“He’s also an adult.”

“Mikasa, I don’t care if he’s going through his midlife crisis. If he’s in trouble, I’m going to help him.”

“Help him or defend him?”

Ymir shot her a glare, ripping the bottle away to refill her glass. “Marco doesn’t like confrontation. He’ll do anything to avoid it.”

“It’s not helping him—”

“Who gives a fuck, Mika?! If it solves the problem, we should just be happy with that and move on!”

“He’s never going to think he’s done anything wrong. The more you defend him, the more he’ll rely on you to be there and pick up the pieces.”

“You’re full of shit. If you were in my place, you’d be doing the exact same thing as me.” The freckled Aquarian went to take a large jug from the wine bottle, but her roommate stopped her. 

“If it hasn’t happened yet, that doesn’t mean it can’t. One way or another, he’s going to end up wanting you to always fix his issues, and you can’t do that. It’s humanly impossible and you need to see that.”

Ymir wrenched her arm out of Mikasa’s hold and stood up with a scoff. “Whatever.”

Mikasa watched her pull out her phone and wondered just how much effort it would take to stop her from doing something reckless. “Do you want Melvin?”

The brunette paused, her expression softening momentarily, before she was furiously typing once more. “No, leave him alone. He shouldn’t be in this.”

When Marco didn’t answer his phone or text her back, she nearly returned to her angry haze, this time with less sobriety. But Mikasa held her back, let her drink herself into a babble and then pass out in the kitchen, half-dressed and snoring. At least she had managed to keep her mind off of that tiny blonde Capricorn, so she didn’t give herself any more grief than she already did.

Mikasa carried Ymir to her bed and tucked her in, and made sure to give some love to the gray rabbit shuffling around in the cage across the room.

* * *

“Doesn’t it feel great to you? We don’t have to hide from those guys anymore; it’s like a giant weight is off my shoulders! Don’t you feel the same, Reiner?”

From the moment they had walked out of the meeting until they walked home, Sasha couldn’t help but talk about the experience they had both undergone. It took all Reiner had to keep her voice low or at least have her words be discreet in their telling of past events. If not, the cover the other ten had been building up would be blown. It was bad enough, from what he could already see, that some people would already be unhappy if they brought unwanted attention to themselves. It was why the taller had stayed unusually quiet, his head bowed and silently brewing with thoughts on what was the best course of action to take from what he had learned earlier.

“Hey, Sash?”

The question came up once they returned home and Reiner had shut the door. Although he felt bad for interrupting his roommate in her exuberant babble, he couldn’t let this issue carry on for much longer. He had to know the truth before the mere thought of not knowing it ate him up. Thankfully, the brunette stopped and gazed at him, her eyes bright and youthful; the taller Leo couldn’t see how such a person, so happy and so content with herself, could have a secret that involved the law in a court setting.

“I don’t know if you heard or not when we were there, but the Capricorns found a court case the other day that involved you in the late 90s,” he began. Already, he could see he had reached her. The smile vanished from her face and her stance stiffened. “I don’t know what happened, or how, or why, and I don’t really care, but I don’t want you to keep secrets from me.” That didn’t sound too accusatory, did it? “Fuck, Sasha—you can tell me anything, alright? You don’t have to be afraid. You’re like a sister to me. So if you ever need to let it out…I’m here for you.”

Sasha stared at him, her eyes distant and wide and misty. She swayed a bit on her feet, though Reiner put it off as one of her nasty habits. For a moment, the blond wondered if she would even answer him. When she did, it was in a raspy voice accompanying a straining smile.

“Y-yeah…I should tell you, shouldn’t I?”

And before she could say more, she suddenly broke apart, tears streaming down her face and cracking her voice. Reiner, his brotherly instincts kicking in, pulled her in for a hug he didn’t understand the reason for. Thankfully, Sasha held him close, hands trembling while grasping at the back of his shirt. Her voice was muffled against his shirt, but all that came out were wracking sobs that shook him to his core with fear and concern. How sensitive of a topic was this?

Reiner finally succeeded in persuading her to sit down on the couch before her legs gave out. In a few seconds, she had been brought to a sniveling, trembling mess of nothing but sobs that clenched his heart. He tried to stand, at one point, to get her a glass of water, but she held him down, unwilling to let him leave. He couldn’t blame her; if he was in her place, he wouldn’t want any component of his support system to disappear, even if it was temporary. So he let her cry into him, curl against his side and stain his shirt with fallen droplets. 

He eventually lost track of time, but Sasha suddenly sat up and gazed at him, and he hopped to attention. If she was uncomfortable by the question, but wanted to tell him, he wouldn’t push her. He just wanted what was best for her. 

“My dad is a Taurus.”

Okay, so it didn’t take much to get it out of her, but still. It was a shock to hear, and Reiner had to pause and stare in an attempt to comprehend her confession. 

“Your… I’m sorry,” he laughed, though devoid of amusement, “but what?”

Sasha’s eyes welled with tears once more, and a croak left her quivering lips. Reiner tried to stop her, to pull her close and hide the sounds, but she refused. She shoved him away and shook her head. 

“My mom fell in love with a Taurus,” she whispered, winces and twinges of pain flashing across her face. “Back then, it was a little easier for them to talk, you know? The laws were slack in their neighborhood because they had money to their name. They were looking for people to go home with, as a game at a neighbor’s party, but she found him half-asleep in a wheelbarrow he had won in a game of beer pong, and it just took off from there.” A smile raised itself up on her lips, fragile like glass. “You would think it stopped there; she wheeled him home, and he woke up safe and in his bed. But they ran into each other again, and they liked seeing each other, so they kept on doing it. And eventually, they…they had me.”

Sasha faltered in her storytelling, and an audible gulp had Reiner almost rushing for a trash can. But her nails dug into his arm, and he decided to stay. 

“They filed the lawsuit because they wanted to get married. If they could, they would provide a stable home for all three of us. But the courts denied them, because Mom was an able-bodied woman on her own already.” Her voice leaked with sarcasm at that, eliciting a chuckle from Reiner. She returned it with just as much gusto. “She thanked them for the feminism, but cursed them for denying her marriage.” They shared another laugh, but it didn’t last very long. And as soon as it was out, her demeanor changed once more, sad and almost lonely. “The court agreed that I had to live with my mom because she’s a Leo. My dad couldn’t see me, but he had to pay child support until I turned eighteen. And if he didn’t, he and my mom would go to jail for breaking the law. I don’t remember my dad. But I’ve known about this all my life. And even if I knew him, I’m not allowed to see him.”

Reiner failed to find the right words to give as his response, so he tugged her back into his arms once more. The familiarity, or maybe just the presence itself, allowed a heavy sigh to fall past Sasha’s lips. That was what she needed most, a sense of familiarity, a piece of home that had lodged itself in her heart. And that was exactly what he had done, from the moment their eyes met underneath the dim lights of a fraternity’s house at Dauper University. He didn’t even go there; he had come for the party, and she had challenged him to a keg-chugging contest and beat him, and somehow he knew it would not be the last he would hear from her. 

“A sorry won’t cut it, huh?” Reiner mumbled. 

Sasha simpered, “Good guess.” She scooted back to wipe her eyes. “Accurate, too.” A pause. “I’ve never actually told anyone else that story.”

A sense of pride filled his chest—for what, he didn’t know—but he bit back the self-centered statements that threatened to spill out. “Well…thanks.”

A bit of her usual self returned, and she nudged his shoulder with her wrist. “Don’t act like I’m doing you a favor, you egotistical muscle head.”

“Hey, I thought you liked the muscles.”

Sasha giggled, sniffling once more. “I bet that one Cap does.”

Reiner tried to will away the red flush on his face. How was he supposed to respond to that?

“…that Taurean, Connie? What do you think of him?”

He shifted in his spot and shrugged. “I think he’s alright. Short, bald—voluntarily. Pretty funny.”

“Mm.”

“Is that why you’re afraid to like him? Because he’s a Taurus?”

Sasha sighed, her head falling back against the sofa. “That’s not all.”

“Well then, what is?”

“He’s cute, he’s funny, he wears basketball shorts in late winter, he makes me wonder if I’ll just repeat my mom’s mistake—”

“Whoa, whoa, hold on.” Reiner sat up to grasp her shoulder, hazel eyes narrowed in concern. “What was your mom’s mistake?”

The brunette stared at him like he had lost his mind. “Did you not hear my story? My mom fell in love with an earth sign and now I’m not a pure Leo and I’m cursed to have kids that’ll end up with earth sign in their DNA.”

The taller let out a slow exhale, shutting his eyes briefly. “Okay, Sash. First, love just happens; it’s uncontrollable. Second, our signs don’t have to do with genetics. It’s just a dumb phrase people like to throw around because they think it’ll better their social status or something. Third, you’re not cursed to do anything. So you like this boy; you don’t have to be afraid about it though. Embrace it.”

Sasha let the words sink in, absorbed and listened to and settling in the pit of her stomach. No matter how hard she refused it, she couldn’t push herself away. She knew he was right in what he said. What was there to fear? Why hide from herself? It was right to take pride in who she was, and if she was part-Taurus, then she should be proud of it (though maybe not in public, for right now). After all, what was a lion without a mane to show off or a prowl to saunter?

A light smile teased her features just as she teased him, “Nice coming out speech.”

“Oh shut up,” he laughed, rolling his eyes. “My parents didn’t even give it to me like that.”

Her voice deepened slightly. “‘Reiner, you can love men, but make sure you wear a condom and take good care of them after.’”

“It didn’t happen like that, and you know it.”

“‘And no sexytoys in the house unless you’re paying the bills.’”

“That dildo was for a friend—who you were  _ dating _ , at one point!”

Sasha clutched her sides from laughing too hard, and she leaned over to hold his hand. “You always say that, but I still don’t believe you.” Once she had better control over herself, she sat up and embraced him. “Thanks for everything, though. I really appreciate having you in my life.”

“Anything for you, Sash,” Reiner grinned, tightening the hug ever so slightly. She mimicked his actions. “You know I’m always here for you.”

* * *

Annie shoved Eren and Jean into her apartment as soon as the door was open, and she kicked it shut behind her. Before either of them could protest or do much of anything, she had crossed her arms and glared them into silence. Her dog greeted her with a happy wag of her tail and a hop on her hind legs, but she barely spared her pet a glance. That was how they knew Annie was deadly serious about something, and following her initiative was the best course of action. “Here’s the deal,” she sneered. “You assholes let out whatever you need to get out of your system, and then you’re getting your asses out of my house. And if you don’t, I’m moving into your apartment and waiting until you do it yourselves.”

“You brought us here—” Jean began to protest. 

“That doesn’t fucking matter! If you get it out now, then you can get back home and fuck each other’s brains out. I’m doing you both a favor. Just fucking take it.”

Eren was still shocked into silence, but when Annie began to talk, it somehow brought him out of it. With an audible gulp, he raised his hand and stepped forward. “I-I’ll go first.”

The short blonde gestured for him to continue. “Have at it.”

He nodded, licked his lips and scuffed his feet. “D-do you know, um…that one Aquarian? The Asian one, with the long dark hair?”

“Mikasa or something, right?”

“Actually, it’s  _ me-ka-sa _ ,” Jean corrected. “I heard her telling the bull. You don’t stress any of the syllables.” The shorter pair shut him up with a shared glower. 

“Yes, Eren,” Annie sighed. “We know who you’re talking about.”

Eren nodded, and let out a long sigh, his cheeks puffing out. “Well…my dad saved her after her parents were killed in a protest in downtown Shiganshina, when she was nine. He tried to adopt her so that she wouldn’t have to go into the foster care system, but the courts shut him down…a lot. Every month, he tried to adopt her, and every time, he got shot down. The only reason why he wasn’t arrested for keeping her in our house was because of his work. But then, he found someone who was looking into adoption. So they were able to take her in—after an entire year of having her live with us.”

The next part took a longer pause, closed eyes and bated breath. “She lived with me for twelve months. I called her my sister. I gave her that red scarf she’s always wearing. But I can barely remember our time together, because when she left, I had a breakdown.” He got choked up, tears brimming his eyes, and he clenched his fists to steady himself. “I didn’t want my sister to leave, because my mom was already gone and she was the first kid to play with me before anyone else. A-and yeah, there was you, Annie, but…at nine years old, that Aquarian was the single best thing that had happened to my life. And I can’t remember a single thing about it.”

Neither Annie nor Jean said anything as Eren hid his face in his hands and released the anguish that had grown inside him. His shoulders trembled, and his gasps wracked through his body, but they didn’t know what to say, so they let him get it out. When he composed himself, comprised of sniffles and soft sighs, Jean finally took him in his arms and Annie patted his shoulder. It was who they were, how they shared their sympathy, and Eren couldn’t get mad at them for it. 

“Do you think she knows?” The blonde asked. 

The shorter male shrugged. “She might. I mean, if she does, she hasn’t talked to me about it, but how could she, y’know? It was what, twelve years ago?”

“That doesn’t mean it means nothing to her,” Jean whispered. “She probably just needs a little reminder, like you did.” He pressed a soft peck against brunet locks, but as soon as he did, he pulled back in guilt. Eren may not have noticed, but Annie did, and her eyes narrowed. 

“What about you?” She demanded. 

The taller Arian shrugged. His hold on his boyfriend tightened noticeably. “Nothing’s wrong.”

“Bullshit. Eren might not have seen what went down with Two-Face, but I did.”

At the mention, Eren got out of the embrace and stared up at Jean. “What happened? Did something happen after he hurt his back?”

Jean pushed himself away, at first turning away from them, but then he barked out a laugh and faced them. “Okay then. Here’s what happened.” His eyes brimmed with tears they could barely see, and his lips were stretched into a grim smile. “That fucking Gemini kissed me. He kept on flirting with me in the library. And you know what? I enjoyed it. The past seven years have been great, Eren, but there was something about him that made me  _ want _ him to flirt, and I hated it. I hate it because I still want it, and I hate that feeling, and I hate what he’s done, and I hate that I have to stand here and tell you this, because you deserve so much better than an asshole who is gonna stand here and tell you that he enjoyed looking at another man. And he would do it all over again if he could.”

Eren wasn’t so much angry as he was bewildered by his words, and he took them in with nothing less than a slight nod. His eyes remained on the ground even when Jean finished. Annie, having heard it already from the meeting earlier, scoffed and shook her head. 

“A fucking Gemini, of all people,” she mumbled. 

“He’s a nice guy,” Jean tried to add, but he was cut off before he could do more. 

“He’s a  _ Gemini _ , Jean! It doesn’t matter if he cured cancer tomorrow—you can’t chase after these kind of people! It’s going to get you killed!”

“You think I can help it?! I can’t just shut this out like it’s nothing!”

“Guys, stop yelling,” Eren snapped. His expression was devoid of anything, even of the fury Jean knew he was worthy of. "This is the worst time to be worried about that.”

“Your boyfriend cheated on you,” Annie stated. 

“I don’t want to talk about it. And that’s something for the two of us to take care of.”

The blonde snorted and rolled her eyes. “Whatever.” She walked over to the couch and turned the television on. “Get out of my apartment.”

The dating duo shared a look, contemplating what decision they should make, when there was a gasp and a shout and the news story was clear to them. Jean and Eren turned to the television in shock, saw the story scrolling on the screen, and rushed to Annie’s side as fast as they could, holding her between them and trying to bring their comfort to her attention. It was clear, however, that her eyes, usually so icy and cold and now so broken and taken back, were anywhere but at the two beside her. She fell to the floor in shock, her dog leaping into her lap and whining, trying to figure out what was wrong. The duo could do nothing but hold her between them and watch the news update unfurl before them.

“ _ For those just tuning in, a couple’s house has erupted into flames suddenly in the Maria suburb of Shiganshina. We have just received a report from neighbors that reveals the name of the deceased as George and Sophia Leonhardt. Based on eyewitness accounts, the fire seems to have started from inside the house, but firefighters are trying to contain and put out the flames before a proper investigation can begin. Any survivors of the Leonhardt’s family are unknown.” _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Bubbe: (pronounced like bubbee or bubbeh) Yiddish for grandmother


	11. Valence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Confirmations. A lunch with forced two. A dance that leads to more feelings than expected. It can only confirm what is occurring around them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One time I couldn't think of a chapter name so I started looking through the letter V for cool words and found valence which is sciencey but it totally works in this situation

_ Petra wasn’t sure what the outcome would be when she exchanged cell numbers with Auruo. Romantic relationships had never been a long-term thing for her. Her parents hadn’t married  before her birth because they didn’t want to be tied down too early in life (even if they had lived together and slept in the same bed, and even ended up tying the knot when she was nine). And yes, she had dived into the Sagittarian stereotype of one-night stands, falling in love with the rush of meeting all sorts of people, propelling her into college without ever having a relationship that lasted more than a few weeks. She had been with people of all sizes, races, gender identifications, sexualities, and personalities, and she couldn’t name them if she tried.  _

_ But talking to the grouchy Capricorn, now seeing how his eyes lit up when they talked or brushed against one another around campus, reassured her of how she was feeling. It was not a bad thing that she was interested in him. And it wasn’t terrible to find him attractive in a way she couldn’t put into words. She was okay with the fact that she had succumbed herself to this fate. If that was who she loved, there was no changing it. So when Auruo’s number texted her to inform her of a location, date and time to meet up with her, Petra couldn’t deny him.  _

_ And so she went on a late Sunday afternoon to the second floor of the student union, in one of the large ballrooms that was vacant that day, locking the door to avoid possible eavesdroppers. Outside, a flurry of snowflakes descended down onto the early December chill. The hair that escaped from her hat was littered with melting snowflakes. Her hands trembled from the cold through her gloves. She reminded herself to start studying for finals in the upcoming week once she got back to her dorm (even though she knew she would either put it off until 2 AM or not do it). A surprised yelp and the sound of falling objects startled her from her thoughts, and she turned around to find Auruo in the middle of the ballroom, a checkered blanket and a collection of pillows at his feet, along with a picnic basket spilling its content onto the blanket. _

_ The Capricorn noticed her staring and he chuckled anxiously, wringing the back of his neck. He was dressed warmly, but also nicely, in a way she would never expect from him, as if he had tried extra hard to impress her. “Err, happy early birthday?” _

_ With a bright grin, Petra tossed her jacket on the chair by the door and walked over to him. There were only two days until her birthday, a fact she had mentioned in passing a few weeks back. She hadn’t expected him to remember it at all. “You rented an entire ballroom for a picnic and some quiet time?” She inquired.  _

_ “I didn’t have to, you know,” he scoffed, though there was more amusement to his tone. “There were a bunch of other things I could have done today, and I chose to come here. You should be grateful I even showed up.” _

_ She snorted and sat down, towards the edge of the blanket. “Right, like you wouldn’t come to something that you planned in the first place.” _

_ Auruo scowled but plopped down across from her regardless. “You don’t believe me?” _

_ “Well, what else would you be doing?” _

_ He started to set up the contents of the basket: a couple of plates and red solo cups. “Brooding.” _

_ Her loud laugh at his answer caused a small smile of his own to appear. “So not too busy, then.” _

_ “I could also be studying.” _

_ “Ever the responsible Capricorn.” _

_ “Or I could be with other girls. I have a certain ‘je ne sais quoi’ about me that’s very appealing.” _

_ Petra scoffed. “Please, there’s barely anything that’s even the least bit appealing about you.” _

_ “And yet here you are,” Auruo smirked up at her, surprisingly appearing unoffended by her words, “for an early birthday lunch.” _

_ “Lunch at five o’clock?” _

_ “If you can have breakfast for dinner, you can have lunch at five.” _

_ “Touché.” _

_ With a proud smirk, Auruo handed her a ham and Swiss sandwich, just as he had said he would prepare. “Courtesy of moi. And my mom’s cold cuts.” _

_ Petra chuckled and unwrapped the sandwich to take a bite. “Tell her I said ‘thanks’.” _

_ “Psh, in our dreams. Like I could ever do that.” _

_ His comment, though initially meant as a joke, churned her stomach in an unusual way, like it almost hurt her to hear such things being said. That wasn’t a regular thing that happened between them—at least, by what she could remember. For the most part, there was always a lack of malice behind their words. They only jabbed at one another to mess with one another. “What do you mean?” _

_ The Capricorn froze, his hands fumbling with the bottles of soda he had pulled out. An embarrassed flush overwhelmed his cheeks. “W-well, we’re not really in a relationship that can be talked about. I mean, we’re a fire and an earth sign, eating lunch at five o’clock on a Sunday, for crying out loud. You had to lock the door when you came in. I had to make up some shit about dancing to get this room reserved and off-limits for the entire day.” _

_ Petra set down her lunch slowly. “I don’t get what you mean.” _

_ Auruo’s frown only increased the unsettling atmosphere around them. “We’re not supposed to happen! We were supposed to find a nice mutual sign to fall in love with so we can marry and have kids and retire to the countryside. Not sneak around and go into a broom closet to make out.” _

_ “Okay, that was Eld and Gunther, and we already established that they were being dumb.” _

_ “You know what I mean, Ra.” _

_ “No, actually I don’t.” Petra paused, looking him over once over, and then narrowed her eyes. If she suspected correctly, he was getting upset for no good reason. Or, at the very least, it was over something irrational, that could be talked about. Why he wasn’t doing that and was arguing with her instead, however, was anyone’s guess. “Auruo.” _

_ “What?” He snapped, turning towards her with a glare. _

_ The fury in her eyes only hardened against his stare. She wasn’t going to hold back just because he was being childish over nothing. “Are you jealous of Eld and Gunther because they’re going to spend winter break together? I mean, you’ve never had a problem before—like when we danced at the masquerade, and you let me wear your jacket, and then we went back to the dorms and made out on the front lawn.” He opened his mouth to speak, flustered and clear irritation lining his features, but she beat him to the punch. “Or when I kissed you in the hall after class because you were avoiding me. That was a great time, too.” _

_ Auruo sighed, and remained quiet until she had finished. When he was sure he wouldn’t interrupt her again, he spoke in a small voice that was barely holding back his fury. “Eld and Gunther have nothing to do with this.” _

_ “Then what is it? I’m not going to beat around the bush, and I’m not going to guess.” Petra scooted over, leaning on her knees, so that she could pull the blond close to her and cup either side of his face, forcing him to look her in the eyes. “You need to talk to me. I can’t just go on a whim, and you can’t just act like this out of the blue.” _

_ The Cap glanced away, looking up only when a cool pair of lips softly pecked his forehead. “It’s hard,” he finally whispered. “It’s hard because I want to be able to kiss you in public and not get shit for it. And it’s hard because I’ve never wanted to do that with anyone…e-ever.” He shifted closer to her so that she didn’t have to stoop over him, and his arms wrapped around her hesitantly. “I don’t know what to do. Every time I’m with you, it’s like I’m a different person…and everything I thought I knew is just a bunch of bullshit. And I hate that feeling. I hate it so much.” _

_ Petra frowned at the confession, but let her hand tangle in the light strands of curly hair. “If you hate it so much, why haven’t you left?” _

_ His hesitation was more in disbelief for what she had said, as if he hadn’t been expecting the words to come out of her mouth. And she wasn’t surprised from his reaction. “Because that doesn’t set aside the fact that I feel something for you that I haven’t felt with anyone else.” _

_ The smile that rose on her features was blaring, full of light and genuity, her heart twisting inside of her chest. “You’re such a sap.” _

_ Her response rendered him speechless for a brief moment, but he was smirking up at her just as quickly. “See? You’re already turning me into a softie, Petra dear.” _

_ She scoffed and flicked his nose. “Oh my, I would hate to show you what feelings are.” _

_ “Feelings? Emotions? I’ve never heard of either of those.” _

_ Petra could only laugh as she leaned in to kiss him, lips gentle in the contact before she reeled back. The action was automatic, something that she hadn’t even pondered on whether or not it was appropriate. A pit of worry formed in her stomach, and she swore she was about to dissolve into nothing if it weren’t for the kiss that recaptured her lips eagerly. Auruo tugged her close to him, as if keeping a loose grip on her would tear them apart, and she returned the enthusiasm with a soft hum. The kiss felt like it meant to happen, their lips molding together and their heads tilted. Her hand tangled into his hair, wrapping around the back of his neck to do so, and the other kept his body flat against hers by pressing against his upper back. When they pulled back for air, her fingers dangled against the emerald tattoo on his neck. He shivered against her, and rested his head against her shoulder, nuzzling against the covered area of her own tattoo. _

_ “I want to be with you,” the redhead whispered. “I really don’t care about some dumb government rules. If we get found, at least it’ll be with you.” _

_ Auruo smiled at that, and he looked up at her to gingerly peck her cheek. “I wouldn’t have it any other way. Though you’d probably get in trouble for something stupid before that happens.” _

_ She scoffed. “Are you kidding? You and that mouth of yours would get you in trouble before I do anything.” _

_ “Right, and Eld can grow decent facial hair.” _

_ “Don’t tell him that; he takes a lot of pride in it.” _

_ “Pff, yeah, five hairs combed into something that looks not even remotely like a goatee is something to be proud of.” _

_ “Auruo—” _

_ “You think Gunther’s into that?” _

_ “Who cares?” _

_ “Are  _ **_you_ ** _ into that?” _

_ “You’re not growing anything! I bet you couldn’t even get a hair.” _

_ “Wanna bet?” _

_ “Auruo!” _

 

Chapter 11: Valence

 

The death of Annie’s parents was a shock that served as the reason to joining Armin’s revolution. Jean and Eren, having stayed with her all night, noticed past the dark circles how alive her eyes were, how angry they burned at her parents’ death and how motivated she was to do something about it. The next day expelled it further when it revealed a letter George and Sophia had sent Annie, explaining how tired they were of fighting one another and being unable to divorce because of the government’s regulations, and how death was the best option for them. They apologized for failing her as parents, and for taking a route that would leave her without any other family. Her grandparents were bitter from the marriage, and there were few aunts and uncles who would want to take her in as their own. She had no one left in her life, save for the family corgi, who had thankfully been in her care since she started the semester.

Though the loss wasn’t an entire disappointment on her end; without any blood relatives to turn to, the dating Arians found themselves drawing closer to their friend. With both parents dead, there was little else for them to turn to except for each other. They understood the pain that Annie was going through, the clench at her heart that reminded her of her family’s outcome, the tearing feeling in her chest that stopped her breaths and left her gasping and sobbing, begging for some external force to reverse the death, to make things better for once. Though no matter how hard she cried, no matter how hard they held her, they couldn’t help but wonder if dying was the best choice for the struggling Leonhardt’s.

Armin had sent two emails, one as an apology to Annie for her loss and the offer of someone to talk to if she needed it (which was welcomed more than he had anticipated), and the other to inform the eleven on the search of Erwin Smith. After Sasha had found out his whereabouts by some miraculous miracle and some rather impressive hacks and skills, the Scorpio had been able to track down his work email address and ask if he could talk to him about “a pressing matter involving the lawsuit you took part in five years ago,” along with his contact information. Hopefully, it didn’t sound as suspicious as he suspected, though there truly was nothing malicious in his message—at least, through his eyes. Armin knew very little on this Erwin character—next to nothing except for his name and suspected involvement—and he could be hostile or violent towards him if need be.

A few days passed by, and then a week, and then it marked the tenth day since the email had been sent. At this point, the outcome was anybody’s guess, and until a response was given, there wasn’t much to do. Armin tried to stay updated on the others’ situations, to check that they were doing alright, but it seemed to be fine for the time being. He had only seen Reiner and Sasha, and that was in passing through their apartments’ shared courtyard. It was like everything had been put on hold, waiting in anticipation, hypothesizing on this or that, hoping for a certain outcome.

And then, while studying in his apartment, the phone rang.

“ _ Armin Arlert, I presume? _ ”

The man was talking before Armin could even greet the speaker. It rendered him speechless for a moment, the commanding tone the voice had, and then he found the words and forced them out to avoid looking like a fool. “Y-yes, that’s me.”

He could practically hear the smile bleeding through the receiver. “ _ Erwin Smith. You emailed me about an event that took place a few years ago? _ ”

“Yes, sir.” Armin sat in the closest chair before his legs gave out from nerves, gripping the armrest and turning his knuckles white. “I hope I wasn’t too intrusive when I asked about it.”

“ _ Not at all. It was well divised. _ ”

If the words were meant to simply flatter him, genuity behind them or not, they were certainly having an effect on him, and his face blossomed into a bright red that burned him into realization. The phone call was dangerous, when considering the possibility that they could be monitored, and he reminded himself that he had to be quick and to the point if he wanted to make any progress. “I-I want you to come and talk to me and my group of advisors,” he stated as confidently as he could manage. “We’re trying to do something similar to what you and your companions did, but we don’t have a lot of examples to go off of, and it’s been difficult on us, especially after the death of one of our advisors’ family members—”

“ _ My apologies for their loss. _ ”

Armin gulped. “Is there any possibility that you can visit? Not for long, just to tell your story and give us advice. I’m sure it won’t take long to get what we need.”

There was a long pause, and the Scorpio almost considered speaking up and asking if he was still there. But before he could, Erwin’s voice returned, smooth and steady and unfazed by the suggestion. “ _ I would be happy to. My colleague and I can be there tomorrow, at five. _ ”

He scrambled for his calendar, found at the bottom of his backpack, and nearly cried out in joy when he discovered that the date was free. Hopefully, it would apply to the others; this chance wouldn’t come to them again. “That works out great! Let me send you the address.”

After giving Erwin the address, the man on the other line thanked him for his assistance, and how he was looking forward to seeing him. When they hung up, Armin nearly leapt out of his seat with a laugh. He created a new email praising the good news and sent it to the eleven participants right away, reminding them of supplies they should bring and what they would definity need. His mind was whirring with excitement—he could barely remember what he had written down, if it was even understandable or logical in the first place. It seemed like things were really working out in his favor.

* * *

When Annie found a mint green plate and a cup of some type of fountain drink placed in front of her line of vision, she had half a mind to snap at the person and tell them to shoo. Clearly, the table was occupied, and there were other places to sit in the cafe adjacent to the library. Though there was hardly any room for anyone to sit down and enjoy a pleasant meal anyway, as Annie’s belongings and research were spread out around her. She had chosen anything over rebelling against the government since she had first been introduced, but with the recent death of her parents, she wanted to fight for the justice they had deserved. When the Arian looked up, she found a familiar face staring back at her, eyes a gray steel and scarlet scarf accentuating pale skin.

“Can I sit here?” Mikasa asked, shuffling out of her coat. A second plate of food and a cup were also on the table, closer to the dark-haired female.

Annie blinked at her, but then shuffled some books out of the way and nodded to the empty seat across from her. “Go ahead.”

The Aquarian smiled faintly in thanks and draped her jacket over the back of the seat before she sat down. “I hope I’m not intruding on anything important. I saw you were sitting by yourself and figured I would come and sit by you.”

The blonde shook her head, eyeing the food across from her. “It’s fine.” Of course, “fine” didn’t include the high risk of getting caught, but Mikasa’s tattoo was already covered by long sleeves, and Annie’s could only partially be seen when she shifted her hand a certain way, so there wasn’t too big of a risk. If the worst happened, and someone recognized them, they could simply push it off as convenience and sharing a table when no other was available (though the validity in that might wear off if not taken seriously).

Mikasa churned the contents of her soup bowl, kept in a bowl-shaped mound of bread, and ate a few spoonfuls before she spoke, gesturing to the food on the outskirts of papers and textbooks. “Aren’t you going to eat?”

Annie’s eyes shifted from the food to Mikasa, and she shrugged nonchalantly. “Eventually.” She turned back to her work, notes from Jean and Eren, but not without another interruption.

“If you don’t like it, I don’t mind getting another. I can just give this to Ymir.”

With a sigh, she glanced up at her and spoke in false genuity. “It’s fine. Really.”

Mikasa raised an eyebrow at that, obviously not convinced. “I really don’t mind. It wouldn’t be a problem for me at all.”

“If you could just be quiet and let me work, then you wouldn’t be a problem either.”

The retort came out much harsher than she had intended it to be, and a part of her regretted how it must have sounded. Though Mikasa didn’t seem to be very offended by it; aside from her unsettled shift, she kept up her calm composure. “Am I not allowed to sit and be friendly with someone?”

“I’m  _ busy _ .” Annie tapped on the list she was currently working on, emphasizing it with the eraser of her pencil. “ _ This _ is more important to me right now.”

As she turned back to it, rereading her previously jotted notes, a hand calmly reached over and shut the notebooks she had been reviewing from. With her other, she pulled the papers towards her and then placed them in the nearest folder (which wasn’t their correct location at all—they had to go with the notes that focused on the compatibility of fire signs). When Annie gazed at her, almost murderous past the strand of blonde that fell in front of her eyes, Mikasa smirked coldly and scooted the plate and drink towards her. She was not going to leave until she got what she wanted. And Annie wasn’t going to let her have it so easily; she crossed her arms, accepting her fate but not the consequence.

“So,” she sighed, tucking her hair behind her ear so she could view the Aquarian better, “what’s your major?”

“Global studies. You?”

“Anthropology. Switched it from kinesiology, because studying human movement wasn’t exciting enough.”

Mikasa’s lips quirked up at that, the slight indication of a smile. “You’d rather go for everything there is to know about humans?”

Annie bit down on the smirk that threatened to rise. “Well, when you put it like that, it sounds simple. Let’s go with that.”

Taking a sip of her drink, the Aquarian hummed. “I heard you went to Stohess?”

“Yeah;” the blonde almost nodded sheepishly. She wasn’t so much embarrassed by her alma mater, but they hadn’t been in good relations due to a scandal with a number of students and the president. “If those seniors and the president been caught embezzling the government before I attended, I would have gone to Trost. They gave me a full ride and were practically begging me to go there. But…Stohess just…had what I needed.”

“Anthropology?”

Annie shook her head, hesitant to reply. “Distance.”

Mikasa’s eyebrows raised, but she didn’t press on the matter. It was clear from Annie’s response how heavy the topic was, and it was more than better not to acknowledge it or go into depth for now, even if something pulled at her chest to open up. She was glad to see it dropped so quickly.

“What about you?” She cleared her throat, to rid herself of the topic. “You don’t really let a lot out about yourself. Then again, you don’t have the idiots I call ‘friends’.”

The comment was enough to bring a chuckle out of her, at the very least lessening the tense atmosphere. “Maybe not, but I still have Ymir. I went to Shiganshina.”

Annie ignored the fact that Eren had gone to the same university; he was still debating on whether or not bringing up their shared past would be appropriate. She was better off not mentioning it. “That’s not a bad choice; how far away was it from home?”

“A few hours’ drive, maybe. Four, on a good day. But Dad didn’t mind, and neither did Aunt Leia. Plus, Ymir was at Marcel thirty minutes away, so I wasn’t completely on my own.”

As she talked, Annie noticed miniscule things about the dark-haired female that she had failed to pick up before. Even if part of that was due to the Aquarian being more introverted, there were little things that she saw that she could appreciate. Mikasa moved with a natural grace, each hand gesture, whether to flip her hair over her shoulder or adjust her scarf, soft and gentle. Though there was also some sort of hidden quickness about her, how she picked up subtle movements and sat alert and concentrated. She must have been an athlete, at some point or another, for every shift in her body rumbled with well-toned muscles against her navy sweater. Her skin was like porcelain, clear and perfect; Annie could only imagine what it would look like with red love bites, blotchy and burgundy lining her neck and jaw, slipping down her chest—

Annie shook herself free from the thoughts with a quick pinch of her wrist, making it seem like an adjustment of her hoodie sleeve. Pining over a female was nothing new to her; in fact, she always had an interest in them. But to fall for a woman who was an air sign, an Aquarian no less, would not end well for her.

Mikasa must have noticed some type of chance—she hoped it wasn’t how silent she had turned—but after dipping a piece of bread into her soup and taking a sip of her drink, she asked the unavoidable. “Are you alright? You fell quiet all the sudden.”

The blonde nodded, and then realized that the food that had been in front of her, the panini with basil and tomatoes and cheese, sprinkled in balsamic vinegar, was all but gone, some of it still in her hand or currently being chewed. She swallowed in mild embarrassment, and drank a large gulp of soda to distract herself. “Never better.”

Her nod must have been enough of an indication that she at least bought her answer, but soon the corners of her mouth were lifting, and Annie felt the floor shift beneath her at the sight. It wasn’t so much a teasing smile as it was a smirk, but it wasn’t entirely malicious. It was subtle, faint, critically analyzed because Annie felt her stomach twist at the thought of kissing it right off. 

“Hope you enjoyed your lunch.”

* * *

The next day contained a considerable buzz of excitement among the group of twelve that was unavoidable. It held hope that their project would finally have a goal to reach, a chance to change the world and make life easier for them. And with the first week of February upon them, it was about time they made some positive progress. The research was over, and they knew what they were getting into; it was time for a game plan.

Connie, despite how withdrawn he had been at the topic of segregation, was actually awaiting the meeting that would take place later in the day. It was a complete turnaround from how he had initially been feeling, and he was happy that he had decided to go along with it, even if the mention of change still made his stomach churn. Each time they gathered together in the conference room on the second floor of the old A&S building, regardless of the outcome of the meeting, there was a strong pull that brought them close. He saw it in the way they talked to one another without hesitation, a stark contrast when compared to where they had started and had walked on eggshells around one another. It was present in the eagerness their eyes held at the mere thought of overcoming their government’s bonds that outlawed them from interaction with over half of the people there. It had even extended outside of the meetings, whether it be in a friendly wave or the passing of an umbrella, the latter the exact occurrence that he had had that rainy morning, when his rushing to get to class and a holdup at a crosswalk had him with an umbrella in his hands and the quick glimpse of two-toned hair walking ahead of him, soon drenched from the lack of protection. Times were changing, slowly yet certainly, for the better. 

The Taurean was so prepared for the meeting—to have an account on what to do, how to do it, when the best time would be to craft it—he hadn’t even realized how early he was until he walked into the room and found no one else there. Usually, he was one of the last to arrive, but there was no one save for a slumped figure who leaned close to the papers in front of them. Some music played from a smartphone in front of them, and they hummed along to the song. Connie plopped his stuff down in a chair nearby, but at a reasonable distance so that they could still have their peace. It wasn’t until he took out his own belongings that the person looked up at him, and grinned, causing his stomach to lurch and his throat to tighten. 

“Hi, Connie!” Sasha greeted with a wave of her fingers. “You almost scared me—I didn’t hear you come in.”

The short male managed a smile and laughed, though it sounded much too hoarse. “Oh, heh, yeah, sorry. I didn’t wanna bother you.”

She giggled at his response, “You wouldn’t have, trust me; I enjoy the company. I didn’t realize I was so early until I got here.”

“Y-you too?” Knowing that made the taut pull on his gut a little less searing.

“Yep! I just got excited, I guess. I’ve learned so much from being here and reading into it—it’s amazing what’s been happening for so long without anyone knowing what’s really going on!”

Connie nodded and started to shuffle through his own notes, trying to distract himself from her warm gaze, the subtle curve of her lips and the dimples that pierced her cheeks, and the brown locks that hung in her face like soft, dainty feathers. His heartbeat rattled his chest with a harsh pounding that he could just barely keep quiet about. If he didn’t keep himself composed, locked away in a shell and away from her, he was sure he would have an issue on his hands.

Unfortunately, once he became aware of her, he couldn’t push away the fact that she was there. Her presence, as quiet as it was, save for the music playing at a low volume, was blaring to his senses with each ruffle of paper or hum that synced with the music playing. Just the fact that she was  _ so close _ had him wishing he could melt into her arms. He barely knew her and yet the urge to make her smile reappear, at him,  _ for _ him, was weighing him down. How had he managed to fall for someone so quickly?

The next song that came on the device had Sasha’s enthusiasm for it growing in tune with her smile. Connie glanced up and bit back the urge to move along to the beat. He remembered learning steps to the same song in a dance class he had taken during high school, for a competition he and his partner had won second place in. Initially, the song choice had been different for the competition, but switched as soon as the song came out and he heard it for the first time. There was something about it that woke him up, the beat addicting, the lyrics relatable, the singer’s voice smooth and hypnotic to his ears. Seeing Sasha react to it, her voice melodic and smooth and synchronizing with the singer’s, her body swaying to the beat, eyes shut, had Connie delving into the song even more. 

“ __ We’re a thousand miles from comfort  
__ We have traveled land and sea  
_ But as long as you are with me  
_ __ There’s no place I’d rather be ”

“I danced to this song, y-you know,” he spoke up despite the nervous shake in his tone. He shook it off when he reminded himself of what he was saying and who he was speaking to. “For a competition, a few years back.”

The Leo’s eyes suddenly lit up with a spark of joy and wonder at the mention. Her reaction practically flung Connie’s heart into his throat. “You’re a dancer?” She wondered in amazement.

He shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant, and smiled. “I was, yeah. I don’t do a lot now, but once you start, you don’t lose the moves.”

Sasha laughed at that, the cause of another lurching stomach. She jumped to her feet and held out her hands, clapping her fingers against her palms in a motion for him to come closer. “Teach me.”

While the second half of the verse played around them, the Taurean realized that she had requested he dance for her. He had only been a teenager when he performed the song, and to do it again by heart required a little backpedaling to remember the right moves. So maybe it was possible to lose the moves, but if he could just concentrate, it could be possible—

His lack of response had Sasha wilting in disappointment that glistened from her eyes to her frown, and her hands dropped beside her lifelessly. And if he looked close enough, he could see embarrassment coating her cheeks, where proud dimples had been not too long before. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, and she started to sit down, sheepish and small. “I-I didn’t mean t—”

Her response was barely out before he was grabbing her hands and tugging her back to her feet. He pulled her flush against him, close enough so that their chests touched and he craned his neck to look up at her. The Leo was much taller than he had anticipated, but it was far from foreign to him. The teasing was never something he was accustomed to, but he knew how to move his body to a rhythm, and that was what he was going to show her.

“ __ If you gave me a chance, I will take it  
__ It’s a shot in the dark, but I’ll make it  
_ Know with all of your heart, you can’t shake me  
_ __ When I am with you, there’s no place I’d rather be ”

As soon as the chorus had started, Connie was twirling her and separating, his feet slipping into the steps he never truly forgot. He made sure to keep his eyes on hers the entire time, locked and without a key, but with every emotion he held that was for her. Sasha was unable to move away from his gaze, her hands grasping onto the edge of the table behind her. Her body dipped back slightly as he sidled up in front of her, only to move away from her again. This time, he took ahold of her hands and spun them around once, before tugging her close once more and gently lifting her in the air. His body dipped down and he guided her hands to hold him until she was on the ground, and he spun them once more to trap their hands in a criss-cross that was quickly broken with a twirl of his body. If he had been with his dance partner, they would have gone back into a swing that was more upbeat than the first verse, guiding each other around and leading into the second verse, but he couldn’t do that with her. She didn’t know the dance, as much as he wished that she did so that he could share that moment with her.

When they were brought together again, a gasp had slipped past Sasha’s lips, her eyes wide and sparkling with wonder. His hot breath mingled with cool puffs, exertion mixing with flustered pants. When he managed a small smile, bright and toothy, her eyes only increased in size, like a child that realized it was Christmas morning, and their house had transformed into a Christmas wonderland overnight.

“Teach me how to do that,” Sasha whispered and dipped down so that her forehead could touch his, making the space between them even more minimal. “I want to dance with you.”

His heart nearly stopped at the request, at the passion that was ablaze in her eyes, that made his smile dip down in severity but caused him to nod his head nonetheless. The grin returned once he saw her excitement rise, and she chuckled quietly at his reaction. They separated, at arm’s length, and the shorter guided her through the steps, slowly, one by one. 

“ __ With every step we take, Kyoto to the bay,  
__ Strolling so casually  
_ We’re different and the same, gave you another name  
_ __ Switch up the batteries ”

She stumbled a bit, and he had to remind her to not let her arms hang by her side, but to keep up a fluid pace. “It’s a dance with your entire body,” he informed her as they completed the first session and went back to step one, this time with more confidence, and much smoother than before. “Don’t let the beat move you—it’s supposed to be  _ with  _ you.”

The Leo groaned with a frown. “I don’t understand any of this. It sounds like you’re trying to teach me math.”

He laughed at the comparison—and the small, if accidental, reference—and he returned to standing position. “It was confusing to me too when I started. I even fell on my face in front of the entire class.” Sasha giggled at that, and he joined in with her. “You just gotta let go, y’know?” Connie squeezed her hands reassuringly, and her expression suddenly fell, though not as he had expected. The touch was like he had flipped a switch, and she was suddenly ready, her body poise and her eyes flaming with determination. There was a will in her that was to do, and she was going to do it until she did it right.

They resumed their routine, her steps more and more precise as they progressed. She knew how to use her hands, and she knew how to make a perfect mirror image of his performance, and he learned how to replicate her. When they met, it was electric, shocks running along his nerves, and the twirls and dips they both performed, only to slide back into each other’s arms, sent a shiver down his spine. Connie hadn’t asked if Sasha had ever taken a dance class before, or if she had even known his routine, but whatever it was, she was performing with her entire heart thrust into her movements. The raw passion she showed, the synced steps and twists and shifts she made that he had taught her, only served to show him how he had fallen in love with her in such little time.

And if the kiss that she pulled him into was anything to go by, she felt that same feeling too, a throbbing urge to be with him, to hold him close and give him everything she had, just as he longed to do for her. The song had long since ended, and they had danced through several others, but they were all blank to him. She was everything he took in, everything he saw and felt and heard and tasted. Her lips, so fresh and sweet and tingling against him, enticed him to tug her down closer, if they could even close the distance between them. Sasha hummed when he ran a hand along the base of her neck, and she pressed a palm against the small of his back to lift him up into the kiss, even when he wrapped a leg partially around hers.

They had barely welcomed the other inside, to taste more, to forget everything around them, until there was a clearing of a throat that broke through their daze. Almost instantly, Sasha was releasing him and stepping back, as if scalded by fire. Connie was moving away just as fast, his hands in front of him like he didn’t know what to do with them, or what they even did. His mind was scrambled, confused and sizzled out as he gazed up at the door, where Armin and two unfamiliar figures—one tall and blond, the other dark-haired and short—gazed at them.

“Whatever you want us here for, Arlert,” the shorter frowned with a narrowed glint in his eyes, “you’re already doing it wrong.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Song: "Rather Be" by Clean Bandit


	12. Erwin Smith and the Exemplaries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happened has been revealed, but there is more beneath the surface than what one can see.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Eruri is strong in this one

_ The week before classes began for the spring semester was meant to be a time to prepare for upcoming classes and a smooth transition back into college life. However, for Erwin Smith and the ones he had contacted before the break, it was a time of secret-keeping and well-hidden meetings. Some were more intimate than others, to reunite with the one they had come to love and remind them that their time together had not been an illusion or a dream. But it was also for friendlier things, like a pair of roommates going out as friends to have a good time out. They kept Erwin’s secret to themselves, just as he had requested. While he enjoyed his own reunion, he also made sure to stay in contact with the six, answering their questions without giving anything away, assuring them of what they were doing, devoting himself to each connection he created.  _

_ The day of the meeting was the Saturday before classes started for the second semester. The participants were a mixture of nerves and overall anxiety as they piled into the third floor conference room in the student union, but it quickly changed to confusion and overall surprise at the familiar faces that filtered in. The shock rendered any of them from speaking, and the man who organized them together entered the room to the guests he had invited present. They turned to him as he walked in and burst into a demand of answers to their questions. Levi stood at the front of the room, and when the Libra made his way over to him, he nodded to the group.  _

_ “Probably not the best idea to make them keep a secret from each other,” he stated. _

_ Erwin set down his bag and shrugged nonchalantly. “I didn’t think they would fall in love with each other,” he countered.  _

_ “Bullshit. I told you what was going on.” _

_ “Mm. True. It slipped my mind.” _

_ He rolled his eyes. “You couldn’t at least give the couples some leeway?” _

_ “No one gets special treatment.” The taller smirked down at him. “You said so yourself.” _

_ The Capricorn glowered at that, and then tamed the riled group with a sharp whistle. They quieted instantly, yet still brewed on the surface. Erwin smiled at him in thanks, and received a glare in return.  _

_ “I’m glad to see you all could make it,” he addressed the small crowd. “We have a lot to do if we’re going to overthrow the current government.” _

_ “Why did you wait until now to tell us who we were working with?” Petra demanded, arms crossed in front of her chest. _

_ “It was an honest mistake. I would have told you, if I had remembered. Though you all weren’t completely blind to what was going on.” Dark blue eyes trailed over to Eld, whose harsh glare hardened and cheeks flushed red at the attention given to him.  _

_ Both Gunther and Petra turned to him. “You knew about this?” The Leo snapped.  _

_ “Not all of it!” He defended, hands flying up to act as a shield. “Just bits and pieces, I swear!” _

_ “What total bullshit,” Auruo grumbled. “You two have the same element; of course you would know more than us!” _

_ “Not necessarily true,” Erwin pondered, as if he was amused by the spectacle before him. “But good point.” _

_ “You’re beating around the bush,” Mike stated, his voice a sharp rumble that silenced the others. “At least try to be honest with us.” _

_ The Libra quirked an eyebrow, a half-smile rising on his features. “Impatient?” _

_ “Just pointing out bullshit when I see it.” _

_ “You have good senses.” He paused, waiting for any further comments, before he continued. “I explained to you all individually what was going on when we talked on the phone.” _

_ “You sure about that?” Petra mumbled with a glower at Eld. _

_ He must have caught onto the reference, for he whipped around with a grimace. “Are  _ you  _ sure about that?” _

_ “Eld knew just as much as you did,” Erwin explained. “And if he didn’t, I’m sure he would tell you. But we cannot risk fighting now when we have bigger problems at hand.” _

_ “Like the government,” Nanaba said. “They’ve controlled some aspect of our lives since before we were born.” _

_ A wispy smile appeared on his features. “Precisely. The same one that forced labels onto our bodies as a branding, but refers to them as ‘tattoos’. The same one that has separated families and killed innocent people for hundreds of years.” His eyes turned to the two couples. “The same one that forbids cross-astrological relationships unless their sign’s element is shared. And even then, it has restricted marriage to same signs.” _

_ The four looked away, nervous under the intimidating aura that stretched out from him. The way he held his body, the way he talked, breathed a confidence that was almost startling. The Libra knew how to talk to them, how to show them that what they were doing was right. It was admirable, almost, yet certainly scary.  _

_ “I would like to file a lawsuit against the government for their suppression of its citizens for no reason other than the specific day and month a person is born. In a time where marriage is defined as a right for everyone, and we can mingle with a multitude of races, it’s surprising to see how little progress has been made to remove astrological segregation. If we can use a lawsuit to prove that we are capable of deciding who we talk to or not, we can save future generations from experiencing our lifestyles.” _

_ “Yeah, but a lawsuit against the government is practically suicide,” Petra frowned. “You would have to have a pretty good lawyer to win a case this big.” _

_ “We’ll get to that when we need to,” Levi stated. “Right now, we need to dig into this and find out what’s been the source of the problem.” _

_ “People are assholes who want to make the world a whole lot harder than it needs to be,” Auruo shrugged. “That’s it.” _

_ The shorter rolled his eyes. “There’s more to it than just that.” He turned to Erwin. “Hanji got Moblit with us. They’re going to the library this week to work on research.” When he received a nod of approval, he faced the two couples, the same four he had assigned together for a group project. They had scored well on their presentation and final product, but he hadn’t seen any of them since the last day of classes before Christmas. “You’re still together?” _

_ “Depends on what you mean by ‘together’,” Eld smirked. When he received no response, just a glare in return, he sighed and nodded. “Yeah, we are.” _

_ “Who said we were?” Auruo grumbled, but Petra elbowed his side. “Fine, yes, we are!” _

_ “Good. And stay that way.” _

_ “Why?” _

_ “When we go to court, we’ll need you four as proof that romantic relationships can happen outside of their boundaries.” He nodded to Nanaba and Mike. “Same for you two. It’ll be one of our main points in our final project.” _

_ “We’re not dating,” the Virgo clarified, with an agreeable nod from the taller male beside her.  _

_ “I never accused you of such. Either way, your friendship will show them something.” _

_ “What if this all fails?” Gunther wondered. “Let’s say they win. What happens to us?” _

_ “Don’t worry about it. It’s not going to happen.” _

_ “Come on, Levi, even you know we need to be prepared for every possibility that’s out there,” Auruo stated. “What happens to us if we lose?” _

_ “They’ll throw us in jail, probably,” Eld remarked with a snort. “For life. With  _ **_no_ ** _ parole. Make sure we don’t have influence on the ‘normal people’.” _

_ “No one’s going to jail,” Levi glowered.  _

_ “I’m in,” Petra stated firmly. _

_ “Petra!” Her boyfriend exclaimed, hopping up from his spot on the table. “You can’t be serious!” _

_ “We don’t know the outcome of this. And it can really help them out, then why not try it?” She looked over at Erwin with a small grin. “I want to help you guys bring change. And you’re gonna need a lot of help if you want that to happen.” _

_ The Libra returned the smile. “I appreciate it,” he said with a small bow.  _

_ “Does this mean I’m involved too?” Auruo asked.  _

_ “Not necessarily. It’ll be a lot easier, if you were.” _

_ He bit his lip, yelping quietly when it was his tongue instead, and then sighed. “Fine. I’ll help too, I guess. But I’m only doing it for Petra.” _

_ The Sagittarian beside him wiped away the smear of blood at the corner of his lip with a swipe of her sleeve and chuckled. “Don’t act like you don’t wanna overthrow the government with me,” she teased. “It’s less romantic.” _

_ Eld and Gunther exchanged glances before they nodded as well. “Count us in, too,” the blond grinned.  _

_ Nanaba looked over from one side of the room to the other, the couples to the law students, before she let out a soft exhale; “Well, if you’re gonna do this, you’re gonna need an example that’s not romantic. I’m in if Mike is.” The Scorpio paused in thought before he nodded as his response. “Then you got two more against the government.” _

_ “Good. Just don’t blab about it to anyone else. And that goes for all of you,” Levi gestured to the other four. “I’m not going to have this project thrown out the window because you brats were too reckless. Keep it a secret.” _

_ “Come on, Levi, you should know us by now,” Eld chuckled, and threw an arm over his shoulder, tugging him close. “Remember who you’re talking to. We’re all practically experts.” _

 

Chapter 12: Erwin Smith and the Exemplaries

 

“Lesson one in overthrowing the government,” the shorter newcomer stated as he walked down the stairs to their level. The Capricorn’s insignia was faint against his neck, as if there had been an attempt to dim its vibrancy down. “No romance.”

Connie and Sasha shared a quick glance, but it only added to their embarrassed expressions. “W-we were just dancing,” the Taurean mumbled, but the Cap scoffed in disbelief and what must have been exhaustion.

“Don’t bullshit me, cueball. I can sniff that shit out a mile away.”

“You’ll have to excuse Levi’s behavior,” the taller blond stated as he walked over to them and placed a hand on Levi’s shoulder. “He tends to get riled up when it comes to obeying the law.”

“Is he a…cop?” Sasha whispered, as if it was dangerous to say. 

“No, he’s on our side. But I think we should wait until more of your friends arrive before we get into that.”

Armin hurriedly ushered the two to one end of the table, making sure they were well-adjusted and didn’t need anything else. His eyes kept on darting back to the duo behind him, and when he was done with the guests, he scooted back over to them with a nervous glare; “Please try not to do anything reckless while they’re here.”

“We didn’t do anything,” the Leo hastily clarified. “I-i-it was really just dancing, honest!” She turned to Connie with wide eyes. “Right, Con?”

Even if his was hesitant at first, the shorter male nodded in agreement. “Just dancing,” he clarified, though his voice sounded distant. 

Armin took the answers as enough confirmation that they wouldn’t scare off their guests, and he let out a held breath. “Alright, good,” he nodded. “Would you two mind clearing the table before everyone else gets here?”

The pair assured him that they would get the job done, but as he walked away and began to unpack his things, he noticed how their attempt to tidy up turned into them jabbing jokes at one another. It was like they were good friends, childhood buddies who had pushed each other on the swings and built sand castles for one another since they could walk. The sight was admirable, but equally worrisome. He hadn’t seen much romance drifting between the others that wasn’t pre-established (how Jean and Eren were, as an example), and anything remotely related to love was mere flirting that he caught out of the corner of his eye. Perhaps there was something deeper going on between a select few. And if it wasn’t already happening and he was blind to it, perhaps he would fall victim to it as well. 

The rest of Armin’s group of volunteers piled into the room at a steady pace, just as they usually did. Some paid notice to the visitors at the end of the table, who bowed their heads and chatted secretly to one another, and tried to talk to them. Erwin was definitely the more social of the duo, asking questions away from the reasoning of their presence and trying to keep them as entertained as he could before they started. As soon as Historia and Bertolt arrived, Armin tugged them over to the Libra and introduced them.

“Erwin, Levi, this is Historia Reiss, and Bertolt Hoover,” he stated as they greeted one another and shook hands. “They’ve been here since I started everything.”

“No surprise there,” Levi stated, his voice noticeably softer than before, probably due to the fact that he was talking to his own sign. “Caps are the kind of people who will be with you to the last second.”

Erwin smiled at that, though slightly strained, and turned to the duo in front of them. “If I wasn’t mistaken, your last name is Reiss?”

Historia nodded albeit hesitantly. “Yes, sir,” she replied. “I was—am—related to the Aquarian Reiss family, but they…weren’t very kind to me.”

“I remember reading about your case five years ago, when we were working towards our goal.” He might have been a few years older than them, but there was something in his eyes that was tired, as if he had been fighting for years. He focused his gaze on Bertolt. “You are very kind to have accepted her as your own.”

Even if it was still unclear as to how he knew that much about them, the taller Capricorn flushed red and shyly thanked him.

As Armin and Historia faced the others once more and settled everyone down, the latter having to run to the hallway to gather Sasha and Reiner, Bertolt stayed back for a moment and looked at Levi. “If it’s not too much to ask, could you stay back for a minute afterwards so I can ask you some questions?” He asked politely. “About this, of course. I was hoping to get some advice from you on how to keep calm during all of this, especially because I’ve never really reached outside of my sign.”

It was slightly hesitant, but Levi nodded nonetheless. “I’ll do my best,” he said.

With grateful thanks, Bertolt returned to his usual spot at the other end of the table, quietly explaining to his roommate what he had asked and why. Historia seemed pleased at the response, with a grin and nod in satisfaction.

“Before I pass this to Erwin, does anyone have anything they want to say?” Armin asked the group. His eyes swept over each person there, though they lingered at Marco and Jean, both whom stayed quiet yet glanced at one another. The Gemini offered a small smile, a peace treaty, but the Arian only looked away. Beside him, Eren noticed the shared glimpses and gave his own piteous smile to the air sign, as if to apologize.

“Thank you for having us,” Erwin said once the Scorpio nodded to him, and he stood up. When he spoke, it was with a heavy layer of confidence and assurance, as if every word that hung off his lips was vital and important in some way. “My name is Erwin Smith, and this is my…partner, Levi Ackerman. We worked on the court case Shadis versus Dok, which enforced the Four Elements Act. For the most part, as I have learned from my researchers, all that has been mentioned is a series of riots that occurred at our university after the case. And while that certainly had an impact on the government’s decision, it was not the only one. That is the most important thing for you to remember: the government likes to hide things that do not belong in their system.

“Before the court case, before we changed this nation for the worst, we were just students trying to get through college. Levi and I were attending Mitras University, which closed its doors and merged here. We were law students, in grad school, like you all are, but we were scattered, both on the Zodiac scale and our graduating class. I knew only two of them beforehand; one, I had grown up with, in a way, and the other shared the same element. With them, and Levi, knowing about my plan beforehand, I guaranteed at least some support off the bat. Plus, if you’re going to do anything like this, you need a few Capricorns to get you through it.” At that, he winked at both Bertolt and Historia, who looked away in modesty.

“How did you come up with the plan to rebel?” Ymir wondered.

“It never came to me, exactly; I always knew that there was something wrong with the government, why I couldn’t talk to kids who didn’t share my family’s tattoo or its color. My father played a part in that; he taught at Mitras, for a period of time, before I attended. But as a child, there aren’t many people who will take you seriously. You have to grow up first and find someone who will listen long enough to join your fight. So that’s what I did: I waited until college, and as soon as I was in, I gathered the people who I knew were able to help make it effective.”

“So easy, a caveman could do it,” Eren mumbled with a snort.

“You didn’t have any problems?” Annie questioned.

“If by ‘problem’, you mean ‘reluctant to join’, I don’t think they ever came across that way. By what Levi had told me, the six representatives in our lawsuit were the perfect choices, because they were the only ones who had what we were looking for.”

“What, the motivation to change the world and make it a better place?”

“They disobeyed the law,” Levi explained. “Four of them were two couples who had fallen in love and were seeing each other frequently. The other two were close friends who talked through a walkie-talkie for a majority of their friendship. They wanted to be able to talk without having to hide behind closed doors. There was no way any of them would say ‘no’.”

“What about you two?” Mikasa wondered. “You couldn’t have known each other in the first place, right?”

“Levi was a lucky guess,” Erwin smirked. “We met at a party for TAs after classes started, and we started talking outside of class. He’s very much a Capricorn: hardworking, intelligent, versatile. The all-terrain vehicle of the Zodiac.” The Capricorn shot him a glare at that, bringing another quiet laugh from the taller.

“If it wasn’t for me, you would have had no one,” he murmured, almost as if it was painful to admit.

“So what happened in your lawsuit?” Jean inquired. “Why is it just you two?”

“Hanji and Moblit couldn’t come. They were busy, and the case is still a hard topic to talk about.”

“Why?”

“Because the other six are dead.”

The news silenced any other questions they might have had, and the grave expression of the Cap and Libra did nothing to help it. Out of the twelve, Bertolt and Historia were the most surprised, sharing a quick glance in mutual understanding: when they had gone to interview Rene, she had told them about the events after the lawsuit. She had helped the six escape and was helping them hide in the national forest an hour away. Now, here was an actual member of the rebellion itself who claimed that they were dead. Were they uninformed, or were they trying to protect them?

“All ten of us researched astrological segregation for weeks before we decided to file the lawsuit,” Erwin began to explain, his voice grim and heavier than it had been before. It sounded like he carried a large weight that he had had for five decades and only acknowledged if it was mentioned. “Our lawyer, Keith Shadis, as reluctant as he was, was the only one willing to help us out. Levi and I hadn’t graduated yet, or else we would have done it ourselves. We needed Shadis on our side, a professional who could take us seriously, and he was the only one who decided to help. But at that point, we had already gained attention from the government. They were more prepared than we were hoping them to be, but then again, what can you do when the lawyers who denied you decide to bring attention to your cause?

“For the most part, I was convinced that we had actually done some good. We tried to compel our arguments with our ‘witnesses’ so that they could make compelling points, and we proved the government wrong many times. But when you go to court to fight for the desegregation of Zodiac signs, and the jury is rigged, and the judge won’t even let you finish your point, there’s not much else for you to do.” He paused, the next part seemingly difficult for him to get through. “We knew the jury wasn’t going to rule in our favor, and we knew that the law enforcements were going to come down hard on us. So we decided to run. Or, at the very least, get away the six who put their lives on the line. Levi and I agreed to take the bait for them, to let them go into hiding and let us take on their sentence, but they were…”

“They were shot down before they could get away,” Levi finished for him. “Shadis struck a deal with the judge that saved our hides. I don’t know how he did it, or what he said, but it got us pardoned, and they let us go.” An icy gaze of steel wandered over to the Libra, who kept his gaze downward. “Sometimes, you lose your humanity to do what’s right for yourself.”

The room remained quiet at the completed tale. Levi seemed to be the only one active of movement, his stare flitting from each individual, before he stood, hands splayed against the table top. His glare, cold and gray and ready to bring on a storm, made up for the intimidation that his height lacked.

“If there is something you’re supposed to get out of us coming here, I don’t know what it is. But I’ll be damned if I don’t at least warn you of this. You can do what you want to the government: sue it, write to it, throw your fists against it. And if you succeed, I’ll be the first to wish you a congratulations. But if you become entwined with each other’s lives, do not expect me to say anything to you. Your feelings for someone else  _ will _ be your downfall. Unless you want this to be more difficult than it already is, the more you start to care about one another, the easier it will be to lose everything.” He finished his statement with a knowing glower at Connie and Sasha, both of whom looked away feverishly.

“Y’know, you don’t look like you would be the emotional type,” Ymir smirked. “How is your advice supposed to be good?”

Levi’s glare seemed to intensify tenfold, and he walked over to her so he could glare up at her. If she was intimidated, she hid it well with a facade of apathy. “Because I’ve lost people I cared for, and now I have little left. You look your entire life to find those people who will embrace you for everything you are, and when you find them, you hold on tight to them. But you lose them just as quickly as you found them, and it leaves you emptier and more alone than you were before. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.”

With no more questions to ask, and the information they had seemingly enough for their next step of action, Erwin and Levi bid their farewells (and, from the Libra, good luck) to the twelve. They walked out of the door to a barrage of silence; Bertolt hurried after them in quiet determination.

Jean looked over at Eren, teal eyes defeated and tired, and something else that looked like he was seeing clearly for the first time in a while. He tapped on his shoulder to get his attention, thankful that conversations around them had filled up the tense silence in the room. “How’re you feeling?” He asked quietly.

The brunet shrugged, shoulders sagging, “Not too sure yet. Just feel sorta empty inside, I guess.”

He nodded in understanding, and then let out a long sigh. There was a strange type of expression in his eyes that worried him, and he didn’t want to wait to let things go downhill. “I know what you’re gonna say, and I just…I wanna save you the trouble of doing it later and creating some big fight between us that resolves nothing, so…I’m gonna do it for you.”

“What are you talking abou—”

“We should stop seeing each other. Maybe not physically, unless you want that, but…in terms of dating each other. It’s not good for us. It’s not easy either, especially now that we have whatever Armin wants us to do.”

Eren faced him properly this time, his eyebrows furrowed in shock and an attempt to comprehend the situation. “You’re breaking up with me?”

“Well, if you were gonna do it later, we might as well do it now, right?”

Even if that seemed implausible to him, there was no way he could deny his point. Something in the way Levi acted towards romance, about caring too much for others and falling in love, spoke to him on a level that made him realize how foolish he had been to do this while in a relationship. Since he and Jean had joined, their relationship romantically had been rocky, spent with begrudging nights and backs turned to one another in the same bed, only to wake up in each other’s arms, running a hand through bedhead and sharing a morning kiss, with no acknowledgement of any tension between them. It was starting to weigh him down, and he found it more and more difficult to be happy around him.

“You don’t have to move out,” he finally said.

“Isn’t it going to be awkward?” Jean asked.

“I don’t think so. I still consider you a friend, Jean. Just because I’m breaking up with you doesn’t mean I want to burn your corpse and throw your remains on the side of the road.” When he received a questioning glance from the taller, he laughed under his breath. “I don’t mean it literally. Plus, I was kinda hoping we could have one more night with each other—y’know, to go out with a bang.  _ That _ part is literal.” Jean’s eyeroll earned another laugh and nudge from Eren. “What do you say?”

The taller eyed him suspiciously. “What, you’re serious?”

“Hell yes I’m serious! When we get back home, we’ll say goodbye to sharing beds and kissing and all that other romantic stuff.”

At first, Eren was convinced that Jean would say no. It definitely seemed like a ruse just so they could avoid the heartache of ending seven years of their lives (maybe because it was exactly that), but who wouldn’t? They had more important things to focus on, after all, now that they had an idea on what was wanted of them. And thankfully, despite his previous reply, Jean must have felt the same; he smiled, genuine and soft, as it always had been for him, and nodded. Eren wondered if it would be the last time he would see that smile, and if anyone else would ever get the chance to see it. “I wouldn’t mind at all.”

* * *

“Levi! Wait!” Bertolt called out after them, getting the pair’s attention. Levi rolled his eyes, though turned back to the Libra with a neutral expression.

“I’ll meet you in the lobby,” he said, and then turned back to face the taller Cap. He waited until it was only the two of them before speaking.

“I asked earlier if you were willing to talk to me about something, a-and I hope it’s not too much to ask now, bu—whoa, hey—ow—”

Before he could finish, Levi was grasping his collar (how he was able to reach was anyone’s guess) and he hauled him over to a vacant room on the opposite hallway. Bertolt tried to straighten up, but there was a sharp shove that had him thrown against the nearest tabletop, face first. He almost stood back up before a harsh hand dug into his skull and held him down against the table. An accumulation of dust gathered around him, tickling the inside of his nose and filtering into his hair.

“I don’t know how much you know,” Levi growled, the sharpness of his nails embedding themselves into dark locks and pulling a small gasp out of the taller, “or how you know, but I had a feeling you knew the truth. I had my suspicions, but as soon as I said it, I  _ knew _ why you wanted to talk to me.” When he received no response, he only pulled harder on the strands, Bertolt writhing and crying out beneath him. “C’mon, Cap. Out with it _. _ ”

“They’re not dead, are they?” He gasped, and his long legs scrambled against the hardwood floor to try and escape from the harsh grip. “Y-your friends… They’re alive!”

The shorter released him and flipped him over so that he could look at him better, thunderstorms to forests. “Who told you?”

“R-Rene, a friend of s-someone.” The hand returned to his hair, and Bertolt panicked. “Mike! I-I-I think that’s his name?! Sh-she was just telling us because I-I found her address, i-in the book you guys had found it in!”

“Did you see them when you went there?”

“N-no—” The grip tightened, pulling up quick and harsh and exposing his neck. “I-it’s the truth! We only heard what we thought was them, I swear!”

The response must have been enough to satisfy him, because after a brief moment of silence and shared stares, Levi released him and allowed him to stand back up, one hand rubbing his head. “Erwin doesn’t know.”

“Wh-what? How?”

“I don’t have to explain anything to you. It’s nothing to be concerned about.” The shorter started to head back to the hallway, but then paused. “In five minutes, go down to the lobby and look at the first book on the front desk. It’ll give you your answers.”

Levi was already halfway out the door when Bertolt called out after him. “You don’t have to do that.”

He glanced back over his shoulder with a grimace. “I know I don’t. Consider it my debt for what I’ve done.”

He lingered for a short while, perhaps to see if there was anything else to say, and then he was gone. Bertolt dusted himself off, hoping it didn’t look too obvious that he had been pressed against a dusty surface, and walked out of the room as well, only to run straight into someone else with a yelp. “Sorry—” The rest of his words were cut short when he noticed the person he had run into was Reiner, staring at him with bright hazel eyes that were ablaze with concern.

“Are you alright?” He wondered gently, his voice soft and quiet. One hand reached up halfway, as if to touch his head, but then fell back down. “It sounded like you were in a lot of pain.”

“I’m fine, thanks,” the Cap hurriedly said, walking in long strides to the stairs. The Leo’s footsteps followed him, matching his pace, and Bertolt knew he would continue to pursue him until he got his answers. He plopped down on the top step, and the blond mimicked him. “What do you want from me, Reiner?”

“I want to make sure you’re alright,” the Leo frowned. “Is that too much?”

“No, I mean…why are you trying so hard to talk to me?”

“Well, why are you trying so hard to avoid me?”

Bertolt shot him a weak glare. “I think that’s kinda obvious, unless you don’t remember.”

Reiner looked away quickly, his cheeks turning red in an obvious blush. “I don’t know what it is, Bert.”

“Bertolt.”

“There’s something about you that’s just…addicting.” A mixture of colors blended in his eyes, beside the emotions that fluttered to the surface. It was alluring, almost, but also strangely appealing, like he meant what he said and he had no reason to lie. “You’re like nothing I’ve ever seen before. You’re exotic, and different, and I like seeing you.”

But he was still Bertolt, and he was still a Capricorn, and he was going to fight those feelings, even if he had to do it on his own. “You barely know me.”

“So? I’m not allowed to want more?”

“Did you not hear what Levi said before?”

“What, about his friends or the romance?”

“Reiner.”

The Leo snorted. “Half of the people in that room are lost causes, including me. If he had come a little earlier, maybe— _ maybe _ —things would be different. But if you haven’t noticed, there is some really strong sexual tension in that room.”

“Like who?”

“Well, the most obvious for you would probably be Ymir and Historia.”

Something in Bertolt tensed, and he found a rise of anger fill his chest. He knew enough from Historia about that, and he opened his mouth to speak, but Reiner must have noticed that he had offended him as he quickly corrected himself.

“Ah, Sasha and Connie?”

Even at the irritation that may have scratched the surface, the Cap couldn’t hold back a smile at that. Reiner laughed in victory and nudged him for a response. “Alright, alright; I can see it. But just a little bit.”

“Jean and Marco?”

“Doesn’t count; it’d be unrequited.”

“Alright, fine. Mikasa and Annie? And you can’t say shit, because I saw them at Einstein and Bell’s the other day, and they were laughing and having a great lunch together.”

Bertolt’s eyebrows shot up at that, eyes wide. “Seriously?”

“Completely. It was nice, actually; they already finished their lunch, too. They were just sitting there, talking, laughing.”

“Hm.”

“Making love with their eyes.”

“Okay, that’s a bit extreme.”

Reiner laughed and nudged him. “Come on, you get the point.”

A small smile rose on his features, and he leaned back, hands splayed out behind him. “Yeah. That actually sounds kinda sweet.”

“So that means we could have a chance, right?”

No matter how hard he shoved him, and no matter how hard he tried to get away, going down the stairs to retrieve Levi’s gift, Bertolt couldn’t push aside the fact that that idea was sounding more and more appealing.


	13. Trial By Jury

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi's story is discovered and told, without the protection of his lover, but not everyone is able to withstand what they hear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is, for the most part, Levi-centric. Sorry about it :3c
> 
> But on the bright side we get some things figured out right? Right

_ “I’m going to turn them in.” _

_ Erwin looked up from the book he was reading and at the Capricorn, his shirt unbuttoned and hanging loose on his shoulders. Their meeting with the six had gone just as he had hoped, and he was set on enjoying the rest of the night with the shorter. Though one glance at the look in his eyes, at the anxious expression that rarely viewed anything besides neutrality, and the Libra could see there was not much hope for that. “Turn in who?” _

_ “Those brats,” he scowled as he plopped down at the end of the bed. _

_ The taller chuckled quietly. “You’ll have to be more specific than that. To you, everyone is a brat.” _

_ “Erwin, please. Petra, Eld, Gunther, Auruo—I’m contacting the police about their interactions. They’re going too far.” _

_ “Says the Cap who’s half-dressed in a Libra’s room.” The dark-haired male rolled his eyes with a sigh. “It goes both ways, Levi. If you turn them in, they have a right to turn you in.” _

_ “They know nothing. I’ve kept quiet about us, like we agreed.” _

_ “Then I’ll turn us in.” _

_ “You’re too blond for that.” _

_ “You think so?” He resumed to dig through the book he had been reading. “I was hoping I wouldn’t be. Maybe I’ll dye it.” _

_ Levi hopped onto the bed and leaned forward so that he hovered over Erwin. He tossed the book away, over his shoulder, his lips curling into a snarl. “I may be joining you on this expedition to overthrow the current government, but that doesn’t mean I have to be okay with it.” _

_ Erwin raised one hand to run through the dark, soft tresses, but the Cap swatted him away. “You’re so conflicted, Levi. I can see it in your eyes. I thought you wanted to make change.” _

_ The shorter settled back down in his previous spot. “I only did this for you.” _

_ “Oh?” He scooted up and then stretched out along the bed, chin resting in his hand, so that he could look at Levi without towering over him. “I thought you did it for the good of society.” _

_ “I’m not Hanji, eyebrows. I’ve been told I’m a talented actor.” _

_ “And a bullshitter, apparently. We both know you wouldn’t waste all of your time just to be around me.” _

_ “You sure about that?” _

_ “Of course I am.” He propped himself up on his hands and knees and rested his chin on Levi’s shoulder, whispering into his ear, “You don’t have to do a lot just to see me.” _

_ The Capricorn scoffed in disgust and shoved him away. “Disgusting. Go seduce someone else.” _

_ Laughing, Erwin swung his feet around and sat beside him, one hand reaching over to entwine with Levi’s. This time, the Capricorn didn’t protest against it, but let their fingers tangle together, and even went so far as to rest his head against his shoulder. “I hear and see the way you talk about them, and I got to see you interact with them today after our meeting. Even if you don’t want to admit it, I know you care deeply about them. They mean so much to you, Levi, and you can see they feel the same for you. Whatever bond you helped create is probably the best thing you could have ever done for them. And you shouldn’t trade that in, especially when they’re happy with one another, and when they’re happy with you.” _

_ Erwin emphasized his small speech with a kiss against the crown of his head, and then he rested his cheek there with a soft sigh. Levi knew that the Libra was right, but he refused to admit that to him; it would only inflate the ego already on his shoulders.  _

_ “You amuse me, Smith,” he finally settled with saying.  _

_ “I didn’t know being ‘amused’ was in your vocabulary.” _

_ “That’s because you do things to me that you should be arrested for.” _

_ “That’s not very nice.” _

_ “Bite me.” _

_ “Maybe another time.” Erwin sat up and gently guided Levi’s face upwards. “For right now, I prefer this.” He kissed the Capricorn softly, his free hand reaching up to caress his cheek. With a hum, the shorter deepened the kiss and shifted so that he was straddling his waist. He was thankful that the blond had bribed his roommate to go home for the weekend. It could just be the two of them, hands tracing over curves of muscle and outlining soft lazy patterns into skin. They discarded their clothes off to the side as quickly as they could, their lips breaking up in butterfly pecks that were desperate for more. _

_ Levi pushed his chest gently, and Erwin fell back against the sheets, pulling the Capricorn with him. When air became more of a necessity, they broke apart with heaving chests, Levi hovering above him cautiously. One hand reached up and traced the branding on his neck, and the Cap shivered under his touch. _

_ “How did we get cursed with this life?” He grumbled, causing his lover beneath him to quirk an eyebrow. “We live in a society where people are separated by Zodiac signs. We’re branded at a young age to show others who we are. And now we have to hide everything about ourselves from the world.” _

_ Erwin shrugged lightly, the hand previously near his neck trailing down to his hips and wrapping around the small of his back. “I’m not sure,” he mumbled. “But if you took away the astrological segregation and the brandings, I think I would like the idea of keeping us a secret.” _

_ “Why? That does nothing for us.” _

_ “Does it?” A smile rose to his face, and he leaned up to kiss him once more. “It means we have a whole world separate from everything else, just for us. For me,” he paused to chuckle quietly, “there’s nothing better.” _

 

Chapter 13: Trial By Jury

 

“So now what?”

“…”

“Armin. What do we do next?”

“I…I’m not sure.”

“You’re not sure?!” Ymir slammed a hand against the table and leaned close to him, practically towering over him. “Armin, we have nowhere to go! We’re basically back where we started, only more informed and with more people. Those asshats did nothing for us!”

“Except warn us about love,” Eren pointed out, albeit cheekily. “And friendships. And everything else we’ve already failed to avoid.”

“He didn’t mention fighting one another,” Jean added, but his comment earned him a scowl from Ymir. 

“You jackass,” she growled. “That was all your fault, and you’re gonna make a  _ joke _ out of it without even apologizing to my cousin?”

“Ymir, it’s not a big deal,” Marco butted in, making eye contact with amber before it seared into a fire. “I’m over it.”

“That does nothing for us, though,” Annie stated. “I hate saying it, but the freckled menace is right. What’s our plan to go against the government? How are we going to support our arguments without making idiots out of ourselves?”

“This was a terrible idea,” Armin moaned. He had stayed planted in his seat since the guests had left, his palms kneading his eyes thoroughly. “We should have tried coming up with something on our own.”

“Don’t say that, man,” Connie frowned, squatting in front of him. “C’mon, you know we’re gonna be okay!” The look he received, through spread fingers and trussed bangs, had the bald male gulping anxiously. “Look at it like this—we’re all still here.”

“Bertolt and Reiner are missing,” Historia stated flatly. 

“Some of us are here. That’s still something to be proud of!”

“I bet they’re making out somewhere,” Sasha sighed, resting her chin in her hand. “Probably getting it on in a closet. How ironic.”

The Scorpio sighed and leaned back in his chair. “You all might as well just go home and forget this ever happened. Or tell someone about it. It doesn’t matter anyway.”

“Come on, Armin,” Eren frowned, “it’s not that bad. So they weren’t as much help as we thought they would be. But we can still pull this together, somehow.”

At that moment, Bertolt and Reiner returned into the room, the taller of the pair paging through a worn leather book in his hands. The blond strained to look more at what was written down when they stepped down the stairs, but the sudden interest in their arrival stopped him from reading more.

“Nice hairstyle,” Ymir jeered, causing the Capricorn to glance over at her and finally notice the stares he had gathered. “Where’d you get it, a broom closet?”

Bertolt’s cheeks flared at the accusation, though he ignored it despite the hand that swept up and flattened any wild tuffs back down. Reiner huffed, “You wish we did.”

“So do you.”

“Levi gave this to me,” Bertolt interrupted them both before an argument occurred, and he handed the notebook over to Armin. “He said it’s his debt for what he did.”

The blond thumbed through the pages, his eyes widening. “Amazing,” he mumbled. “I wonder how much he’s written down.”

“What did Levi mean by his ‘debt’?” Annie wondered.

“When we went to interview Rene Nakamura last month, she told us that the six who told their stories to the court for Shadis versus Dok were living as refugees in her house,” Historia clarified. “She said they were betrayed, but she never said by who. And when we heard that Levi and Erwin were coming by, we knew this was the only time to do something.”

“And most of what Rene said matches their story,” the taller Cap informed them. “Except Levi knows they’re still alive, but he hasn’t told Erwin. He didn’t say why, but I think the journal can explain what happened.”

“You don’t know for sure?” Jean frowned.

“I-I’m just going on a whim. He was vague about it.”

The book had been passed around, from Armin to Connie, to Ymir and Mikasa, to Annie, but had not been fully looked at until it got to Eren, who opened it to the first page. Teal eyes scanned the first page quickly, and then flitted up to gaze at the rest of the group.

“It’s not really a journal,” he stated with hesitance, as if the words would bring a large disturbance to the atmosphere. “It’s more like his retelling for someone—like he  _ wanted _ someone to read this. At least,” he skimmed through, holding the pages down and letting them flutter past his fingertips, “it looks like that.”

“I call dibs on reading it first,” Ymir called out.

“Shouldn’t Bertolt read it first, because he got it for us?” Connie wondered.

“Mister Redwood can wait, cueball. I called dibs; you don’t mess with the rules.”

“Says the water bearer arguing with a bull,” Annie snorted under her breath.

“I can just read it,” Eren offered.

“That’s probably safer,” Marco stated. “And if anyone wants to read it on their own,” he added the phrase while shooting a knowing look at his cousin, “they can ask later.”

Ymir scowled, but scoffed. “Fine. Do it your way. But if I get lost, it’s your fault.”

The Arian faked a smile, “I’ll be sure to read extra slow for you, then.” 

> I am not writing this, because I expect to get something out of it. I don’t want any fame, and I don’t want this story to get leaked, especially to the ones who don’t know what lies I’ve told. Maybe I’m writing it to an Erwin who will find this and finally discover the evils his lover has done. But at the current moment, I know for certain that the purpose for this entry as I write it is to clear my conscience of the guilt that has riddled my mind since the trial. But I might just be telling myself that to make myself feel better, and to hide the fact that I am terrible for what I have done.
> 
> If you’re reading this, whoever you may be, because you found it or it was put into your possession, I did not murder anyone except for my morals. I participated in the landmark decision now known as Shadis versus Dok that has brought on the Four Elements Act onto the citizens. Because of our actions against the government and a series of riots that went parallel to our lawsuit, all twelve Zodiac signs are required to basically stay home. Alike elements are prohibited from interacting with one another for an indefinite time. I know that they cannot stay like this forever; it would destroy this wretched society more than it already has been.
> 
> But that is just one of the wrongs I have caused. I have betrayed my closest allies, and my good friends. I have betrayed myself and everything I stand for. I have betrayed my lover. Looking him in the eye, sleeping in the same bed, even being near him or hearing his name brings a terrible ache to my heart and my stomach, and I have the sudden urge to vomit. I am disgusted with myself.
> 
> Erwin was the mastermind behind all of this. He’s had the most experience with this type of philosophy since he was a kid, apparently. When I met him in August of 2016, he asked me to join him and help carry on his plan to desegregate society for good. Hanji and Moblit were the heads of research, and spent countless hours going through books and articles to supply us with the information that could best help us. In the meantime, I was sent to find six people to help us support Erwin’s plan. I found four individuals, who eventually turned to romance, after fall break: Petra, Auruo, Gunther, and Eld. Hanji found the other two, one of whom was her old roommate from sophomore year, a pair of childhood friends: Nanaba and Mike. No one was reluctant to join. “We” called ourselves the Exemplaries, because Hanji claimed it was menacing.
> 
> We decided on a lawsuit because of its effectiveness; we could easily prove our points and support them well. The search for a lawyer was difficult, because no one wanted to join us. Erwin and I hadn’t graduated yet, and therefore were not proper representation, even if the idea was ours. We required a lawyer for the sake of authenticity, even if we could have done it without one. Either way, when we took it to court, it couldn’t have gone any worse. The judge was lazy. The jury didn’t pay attention. The defendant, Nile Dok, was and is one of the most skilled lawyers in the country. We had no chances of winning.
> 
> When the jury was taken away so that they could make their decision, we decided to put the backup plan into action. One of Mike’s friends had gotten suspicious and offered her home in case things got ugly. It was only needed in case we had no chance of success. Its primary purpose was for the six who put their all into this from the moment they started and went on the stand to testify. They sacrificed everything that they had, everything they had built with one another, so that we could try and fix the wrongs of society. Because if no one else will, who says that we can’t?
> 
> If there’s one thing Libras know how to do, it’s how to talk. At first I thought he was suggesting that he sacrifice himself to the court and take full responsibility; it was the type of thing I had always predicted he would do. But then I realized he wasn’t doing it for the sacrifice and his image. He was doing it for the protection of the ones he cared for.
> 
> I knew, as soon as I walked out of the courtroom, that he was going to go through with the plan. There was that determined look in his eyes, the kind he got when he was about to do something irrational. I had seen it countless times, from the second we met. It reminded me how serious he was about this, how dedicated he was to his cause. It was admirable.
> 
> We gathered together in the lobby, appearing casual as we chatted amongst ourselves and tried to stay as calm as we could be. But we were getting ready for the riskiest thing we would have to do yet. There wasn’t a good enough spot that could hide us from the officers stationed around us, except for the hallway that led to the bathrooms and a door that went directly outside. Another, directly opposite, had some water fountains and a snack machine or two. That’s what Eld said, at least; I never went over there.
> 
> Gunther and Petra would go out the door nearest to the bathrooms. After a few minutes, Mike and Moblit were told to go look for them, but would take the same door out and meet up with them a few blocks away. Nanaba and Auruo would leave out the other side, with the water fountain, which Hanji and I would then follow them up on. Erwin and Eld would go back in the direction of the courtroom, as if they had been called back by Shadis, and would sneak out from the closest exit they could find. Either way, we were all told to meet at a local cafe a few blocks north, somewhere local and familiar to us. It was technically a part of Rose University, but it had a back entrance that faced the general public and no connection to our university.
> 
> Things didn’t go as planned. We split up in intervals: fire signs, water signs, earth signs, air signs. Hanji and I were waiting for our turn, but I had broken away from the group to use the restroom. Throughout the past few months, this had never been something that had affected me so personally or so strongly. It felt like a hit to the head, and I wanted to dip out from reality and let it pass so that I didn’t have to face the worst. I didn’t want to go to prison, and I didn’t want to separate myself from Erwin, either. I wanted to be safe in front of bars, not behind them.
> 
> But nothing goes like you planned. Nothing ever goes your way during these type of things. And anyone who believes that is a blind fool for thinking so.
> 
> The cops came knocking at the bathroom door, and demanded that I tell them where the others had gone, why they couldn’t find them. They bribed me with my own happiness. They said the type of things you say to people when you know they’re breaking and the mask they’ve been wearing for months is starting to crack and peel and fall off. 
> 
> They were Libras. They know how to talk, to get in your skin and never leave. They are the conversationalists of the Zodiac system, and they weave conversations into baskets and present them to you with fake smiles and gentle brushes against your clothes while they look into your eyes and promise you the world.
> 
> I hate Libras.
> 
> I couldn’t take it. I wasn’t strong enough. I came out and told them everything—in private, of course. They didn’t want that kind of information getting out and causing a panic. It was to be a tightly-kept secret that only the police force would know about. They were part of the government’s system, after all. They knew how to cover up the truth.
> 
> When I think about it now, I remember how relieved I was, how good it felt, to be free of that truth. I had committed several offenses that would imprison me for life if I wasn’t careful enough. Just a few months ago, I had been regretting every decision I had made that brought me to this point; every friendship, every thought to rebel, every time I felt my heart drop just because I noticed Erwin had started styling his hair a specific way that looked good on him. All of it, I had hated, and now I could feel it ebb away, like the falling of crumbs, never to be a worry for me again.
> 
> It almost went that well, and that easy. I would like to say that it did, so that I could end this before it gets gruesome. I want to say they were found with no problem, and they were taken in, and the six of them went to jail while I sip martinis on the beach, at peace and completely free of the government’s concern, because I had helped them out, and I was on their side, and I wasn’t a worry. These things never work out in your favor.
> 
> After a few minutes, it was reported that only six of the nine runaways were found and had taken off out of Mitras by car. I knew which four were missing; it was obvious. I knew that they would always end up following each other, in the long run, and I knew where they were going. About an hour or so away from the city of Mitras, there is the Mitras National Park and Wildlife Reserve or some type of shit that we had set up as our rendezvous point. Consider it a wannabe Smoky Mountains, but in upstate New York. You can look at trees all day and live in the mountains, if you wanted.
> 
> Rene was waiting near the drop-off point, right at the entrance of the park to bring the six to safety. All I know from their side of the story is what I was told by Erwin when the police and I arrived on scene. After taking their cars and driving to the park, Mike and Nanaba had gotten away thanks to their adversaries, but the other four split up from them and retreated into the woods. Erwin, Hanji and Moblit were forced to stay back by law enforcement that had managed to catch up. That was the deal we struck up: the four of us remained unharmed, and the fate of the six was up to the cops.
> 
> I didn’t ask him, and I haven’t told him anything, but I think Erwin suspects what I have done.
> 
> Like I had said to the police, I could find the runaways for them. I knew their faces, and I knew the amount of trust they put into me. They would want to gather their bearings at some point, to make sure they’re all alright. I could catch them, if I ran fast enough. I still had the police trailing after me, and if need be, the search dogs could lead me in the right direction.
> 
> I did end up finding them, on one of the main roads used for tourism. I thought I would be able to say something to them when I ran into them. I thought I was strong enough to manage that. But they were so persistent and so relentless, asking me to come with them. The guilt was already starting to take over; I couldn’t do anything. I felt like I was watching them die before me. I was seeing them for the first time, and they were walking corpses, mangled from disease, riddled with gunshots, caving in on themselves with decay. It took away my voice.
> 
> I could only manage an apology. But even then, apologies mean nothing when you betray your friends like that. There’s no way I could ever have the chance to make up with them.
> 
> When the cops caught up to us and went after them, I stayed behind until they had all passed through, dogs and all, a large search party designated for their heads. I wasn’t sure if they would actually use their guns or if they were simply there for intimidation, but there were two shots, and a scream of a name that still haunts my subconscious. I truly believed they were corpses now.
> 
> The police reported that despite injuries, they had escaped over to a house in the woods, separated by a fence that they had gotten through. One of the rookies, from what I had been told, fired off two warning shots that made contact with two of them. I didn’t ask who, but I had already heard the yell. I didn’t have to ask. A deal was struck up with one of the adversaries—a nurse, by what they told me. She would heal any injuries and then hand over the prisoners once they were well enough, to avoid infection.
> 
> I told the others that they had died, because I couldn’t admit to the fact that I had betrayed the four people who had entrusted me with their lives.
> 
> In the end, as no surprise, Dok won the case, and we were humiliated by everyone in the courtroom and anyone watching the live broadcast that I’m sure was all just for show. But we were distracted by the fact that we were now down six members. Somehow, Shadis had managed to wrangle us out of a horrible sentence; the judge fucking pardoned us for what we did. The case was closed, and the government was saved from our wrath, but Mitras erupted into riots that night, along with a dozen other cities. But even then, I couldn’t fight off what I had done.
> 
> Could anyone though? To betray your friends and offer nothing to them for it, to have them see how you truly feel about their predicament: could you live with yourself? Not only were they injured and severely resentful against me, but it was all because of my selfish decision to betray the people I knew. They may have fallen in love or become friends, have complete trust in one another, gone against the government’s policies and laws doing so, but I had ruined their lives. I had put them in this position; I had pulled the trigger; I had let the fall scrape their knees. I had refused their offered hand for help; instead, I scorched it until there was nothing to it. Even if they hadn’t been killed by the police, it was I who had dealt the final blow.
> 
> This is the weight I carry. Every day, when I wake up and have to go to a job I don’t care for so I can try and have a normal life that I don’t want. Every afternoon, when I hear Hanji ramble about some new finding I have no desire to listen to while Moblit tries to tame her from talking my ear off. Every night, when Erwin holds me close to him beneath the covers, running a hand through my hair and against my scalp, trying to relax my body that has stayed tense for years. The weight on my shoulder hurts every day, and it will continue to hurt until the truth is told. But they cannot know, and they will not know, so I will let it hurt me until I am a corpse myself, worn from my lie and the life I was forced to continue on with.

 When Eren finished reading, he set the book down and leaned back in his chair, eyes wide and unblinking. There was complete silence among them, for there was nothing to be said. To know the truth about Levi’s betrayal from his own words was enough to render them in shock for a sharp realization that had been hovering over their heads for weeks but had failed to be addressed. They were no longer fumbling for research or support from those who were aware of their actions. They had started a revolution, as small as it was, that would have a lasting effect once they decided on their best choice of action against the government. The stakes were higher than they had ever been.

“Well,” Ymir spoke up with a sigh when the quiet continued to filter around them. Both she and Bertolt had scribbled Levi’s retelling on a whiteboard in the form of a diagram, for a visual reference that could follow his story with their own knowledge on the situation. “I…guess he really did lie, then, huh?”

“For five years,” Sasha mused in a soft voice. “How do you keep doing something like this for five years?”

“Caps are hard-headed,” Connie stated, with offended scoffs and glowers from the other two earth signs. He held his hands up in surrender. “Hey, I’m just saying.”

“How many injuries were there?” Armin asked.

“Uhh, I think only two,” Eren answered, “but that’s only from what he wrote down. There could have been more after that.”

“This doesn’t change anything, though,” Reiner pointed out. “We’re still just as lost as we were when we started.”

“When you put it like that, it just sounds depressing,” Ymir snorted.

The Leo frowned at that; “How else could I say it? That’s the truth.”

“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean we can just stop here and forget we never did anything!”

“I never said that we would—”

“We can die from this,” the Scorpio started with a frown, “even if they didn’t. We’ve been wasting our time on a project that doesn’t have any guarantee to be successful. They had a rigged jury, and an uncaring judge—Levi said they couldn’t even get a lawyer to side with them.”

“How do you know he wasn’t lying to us about that?” Jean inquired. “He already told us that his friends were killed by the police.”

“Levi wouldn’t lie about the truth in front of his lover if Erwin didn’t know what had gone down either,” Marco replied, a sad smile appearing on his face that caught the Arian’s attention. “He may have the strength to lie  _ to _ him, but I don’t think he would be able to handle it if he distorted the rest of the story.”

Armin stood up during the Gemini’s remark, and his sudden turning of the doorknob gathered the others’ attention. He had his back to them, but he didn’t walk out the door; eleven focused gazes were hard to avoid.

“Where are you going?” Mikasa asked.

“Out,” he answered, small and frail, his head bowed. “You can leave whenever you want. Don’t worry about coming back.”

Without a second glance back towards them, he walked out the door, leaving it wide open.

“Well, there goes our support,” Ymir sneered, and hopped back down into her chair, swiveling around. “As soon as we get heavy into this stuff, he bails because this is too much to—are you  _ leaving _ ?”

Historia had been walking up the steps, but stopped halfway and gazed at the Aquarian. “I’m going after Armin,” she stated firmly.

“Why, so you can save him and bring him back like some mighty hero?”

“So he can know he’s not alone.” Her blue eyes hardened into cold, icy steel, and the look was enough to make the brunette tense up. “I don’t know if you’re aware of it or not, but when you’re feeling this helpless, the last thing you need is to think there’s no one out there to help you.”

As she left, keeping the door open as she did, Sasha stood up and nearly knocked her chair back. The sound was enough to gather everyone’s attention, and to distract the rest of the room long enough for Annie to sneak out.

“Did anyone else notice how we’ve changed?” She wondered in a soft voice. A smile broke out on her features, nearly splitting her face. “And I mean serious change. Like how we look one another in the eyes when we’re talking, a-and we don’t really ignore each other anymore. And whenever someone’s speaking, we acknowledge them like they matter. We couldn’t do that before. On our first day in here, we couldn’t even look at one another without cringing or judging each other. But now, we can have full conversations, and we hypothesize, and we can make a difference—”

The rest of her sentence got stuck in her throat, chocolate eyes widening at what she had said. There was a stillness in the air, a harsh realization that overcame the one from before, and it was abrupt enough to have to go over again.  _ We can make a difference. _ The twelve of them had been doing that all along, hadn’t they? They worked themselves over with their research on astrological segregation, digging through books and sneaking around and talking to one another to reach a middle ground. With the start of Armin, their obvious and automatic leader, and with the support of one another, combined with inspiration from the Exemplaries, there was a feeling of accomplishment that the decision they had made to participate in this movement was the right one.

Sasha’s grin softened, sweet and gentle and full of a boisterous hope for their cause and their motives. “We can make a difference…”

Jean stood up then, bringing the attention to him, and he stood where Armin usually did. “Alright then,” he started. “Until Armin gets back, or whatever, we have to come up with something. So come on, give me something.”

“Like what?” Eren asked.

“Like an idea. An action. Something we can do.”

“A bill of rights!” Connie exclaimed.

“…actually, you know what, no more ideas. I suggest a writ.”

“Is that one of those old law things that like, England used in medieval times?” Ymir scowled, her nose scrunched up.

“It’s not like that,” both Jean and Marco sighed in unison, and shared a confused glance.

“Urgh, gross, forget I said anything.” She turned back to the board with a huff. “If you want my opinion, I say we combine them.”

“That’s impossible,” Eren protested. “Why can’t we write a bill of rights, like Connie said?”

“I second the bill!” Sasha grinned, and she high-fived Eren.

“A bill of rights can work,” Mikasa agreed. The Arian’s grin only widened.

“Ha! Take  _ that _ , Jean!” He retorted.

“A writ actually isn’t that outdated,” Bertolt mused. “If we wrote one, we would basically be telling the government that we don’t agree with what they’re doing. It’s still relevant, in a way.”

“That sounds boring,” Reiner scoffed. “A bill of rights says ‘hey, your government sucks, this is the new government now’.”

“We’re not running a coup d’etat!” Marco exclaimed. “We just want some laws to change, not every single law that’s been passed!”

“Look, Armin’s not here, and I was the only one who stepped up when he left, so I say we go with my writ,” Jean stated firmly. “And someone wake up Connie, because I need someone else on my side.”

“He suggested the bill of rights in the first place!” Eren shot back.

“He won’t remember that!”

Ymir glanced over at the noise as they continued to argue, and caught Sasha’s attention with a snort. “You still think we can make a difference, little lion?”


	14. Writ of Division

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It begins. The creation of their fight against the government begins. And with it comes a build of relationships that takes everyone back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is long haa but it's one of the better ones in the whole fic tbh because it finally has the pairings in the chapter lmao

_ The cashiers at Twelve Drummers were the only workers in the city of Mitras who were allowed to serve any sign, regardless of their own. They were noticeably kinder and quicker than other locations on campus. The cafe itself also served as a good cover, as it was on Rose University’s campus, nestled inside the city, rather than the outskirts like Mitras U was. Both student bodies could be seen on any given day, thanks to a convenient back entrance that faced the city and welcomed the cafe to several visitors. After copious amounts of research from January through half of March, Erwin scheduled a meeting on the second floor of the cafe. Thanks to Twelve Drummers’ staff, he was able to reserve it and have no one else intrude on their meeting, in case any loyalists to the government overheard them. _

_ “Can I just say,” Hanji stated with a growing grin once the nine were seated, “that we have been fantastic lately? Conjuring schemes, talking about law, thrusting ourselves in the way of danger—it calls for a name!” _

_ “We’re not naming ourselves anything,” Levi instantly interrupted her tirade. _

_ “How about the Exemplaries? It sounds menacing.” _

_ “That’s a shit name.” _

_ “Leviiii, come on! It’s intimidating!” _

_ “It can work,” Erwin mused and smiled at her. “Nice choice.” _

_ Hanji laughed and stuck her tongue out at Levi across the table. “I’ll just add that to the scoreboard of wins I have.” _

_ “Now that we have that taken care of,” the Libra straightened up and addressed the rest of the table, “I want to thank you all for coming. I understand some of us have class at a certain hour, so I’ll be as quick as I can be.” _

_ “Why’d you have it up here, Smith?” Eld wondered past a mouthful of sandwich.  _

_ “Because our faces are not as recognizable here as they are on Mitras’ campus. It gives us less of a chance of getting attention from those outside of our circle.” _

_ “We sound like an occult,” Petra mused.  _

_ “Can we learn Tibetan monk chants?” Hanji asked with hope.  _

_ “What does that have to do with anything?” Nanaba inquired.  _

_ “Because it’s cool and chilling!” _

_ “We’re not an occult, and we’re not learning Tibetan monk chants,” Levi glowered, earning a “lame” from the brunette Virgo across from him. “This is life and death. You all should take this more seriously.” _

_ “To be fair, Petra started it,” Auruo stated. He tried to dodge the elbow, but only ended up biting his tongue with a yelp.  _

_ “Jackass,” she grumbled as she tossed a napkin at him. “I hope you bite your tongue off and choke on it.” _

_ The Capricorn scoffed at her, wiping the side of his mouth. “I hope you slip on spit and break your neck.” _

_ “Isn’t that a little dark?” Moblit politely pointed out.  _

_ “It’s just how they show affection,” Gunther answered. “This is tame for them. They’ll be fine in a bit.” _

_ Mike cleared his throat and gathered their attention easily. He nodded to Erwin, who had been patiently listening to the banter with his hands folded beneath his chin. He smiled at them, more as intimidation and a warning to stay on track instead of wasting time. The effect was felt by everyone at the table.  _

_ “For the past two and a half months, we have been looking for the best possible course of action to take to the government,” he began once more. “And we came up with very little.” _

_ “Not true,” Hanji butted in with a burp. “You wanna do a lawsuit, right? And we learned that the Aquarian Reiss family tried to murder their daughter Historia because she was born a Capricorn, so she lives with her own kind now.  _ And _ we learned that children’s cases are usually taken to the courts, like with the Braus kid and with the Jaegers and Ackermans.” _

_ “Did we ever find out if they’re related to Levi?” Eld pondered.  _

_ “You know, I looked it up, and I think they’re second cousins somewhere, but then again, it wasn’t very accurate because we had such limited information—” _

_ “Hanji,” Erwin interrupted, “please remember that we are not dealing with children, though some of you make me question the validity of that statement. We need to be effective.” _

_ “Let’s just start a riot, then.” _

_ “We can’t,” Nanaba said. “Riots aren’t productive enough. None of them have been able to get anything done in the past. It’s a proven fact.” _

_ “Then let’s kidnap the high-ranked officials and feed them their own feces.” _

_ “Tempting, but deadly,” Levi mused.  _

_ “Does it have to be violent?” Moblit asked Hanji.  _

_ “The more, the better!” She frowned. “People will do anything when they’re in great deals of pain, especially tell the truth. Like so!” She stood up and reached over the table to yank harshly on the back of Eld’s head, pulling an alarmed yelp from his throat. “Who wears the pants in your relationship?!” _

_ The three beside him attempted to tug him free, their own shouts mingling with the Virgo’s insistence and the Aquarian’s pain. Moblit and Mike tried to pull her away, Nanaba attempting to pry her fingers out of blond locks, but Levi had to jab at the brunette’s fingers with a fork in order to slacken her grasp. Hanji released Eld with a yowl of her own, clutching her hand as the trio beside her forced her to sit down. _

_ “I thought we told you not to do that anymore,” Levi scowled. _

_ “Mike volunteered, and Petra was an accident!” She protested.  _

_ “We should give you boxing gloves so you can’t grab anything,” the Scorpio offered as Levi left the table to get a new fork.  _

_ “Please, she’d probably punch someone to see how hard she has to hit them before she breaks their nose,” Auruo snorted.  _

_ “If you’re so interested in experiments, why don’t you just major in science?” Nanaba asked.  _

_ “She’s banned,” Eld and Gunther replied in deadpan unison, the blond standing away from the table to retie his hair.  _

_ “Who knew that one field trip in sixth grade could affect your permanent record so badly?” She sighed.  _

_ “You gave yourself a paper cut and then snuck into a shark tank to see if they could really smell blood,” Levi stated as he sat back down in his chair.  _

_ “Blame Spielberg for bringing it up, not me.” _

_ The group eventually resettled back into their seats, some resuming their lunch, but all focused on the Libra at the head of the table, the only one who had remained calm throughout the commotion and the only one who remained focus on their objective. _

_ “If we were to create a lawsuit,” Erwin started, as if he had never been interrupted in the first place, “we will have to have our arguments laid out for us. We will have to hire a lawyer to make it look legit, but before that can even happen, we have to find one that is willing to take our case, and we don’t know how long that will take. That’s only a fraction of the work we have to put in. Before all of that, above anything else, I need to know if that is what is wanted by the entire group. We can no longer depend on my decisions. I want to hear your opinions.” He leaned back, as if to signal that the floor was open for anyone to take. For a brief moment, nothing was said, and the ten of them sat and waited for one of them to break the silence.  _

_ “I like it,” Mike stated. He paused, smiled faintly, and gave a nod. “I like it.” _

_ “It’d be near impossible to get someone who’s willing to do this with us,” Auruo pointed out. “I can’t see how it could ever get off the ground.” _

_ “There has to be someone,” Nanaba countered. “Not every lawyer is gonna turn us down.” _

_ “Yeah, but do you think a lawyer who hates the government as much as we do would be willing to give up everything they have in order to defend a couple of college kids who don’t even have a major chance in winning their case?” Gunther proposed.  _

_ “Well, when you say it like that, you make it sound like we don’t have a chance at all,” said Moblit.  _

_ “With a lawsuit, we don’t.” _

_ “What else can we do then?” _

_ The Leo shrugged, an embarrassed flush rising to his cheeks, before his eyes lit up with realization. “We can write a paper.” _

_ Hanji laughed under her breath, low and manic. “That’ll never work,” she grinned. “The government doesn’t care about that.” _

_ “Actually, if we write something, it’ll clearly state the points we’re trying to make,” Petra pondered. “That way, nothing’s misinterpreted and we can clearly show we just want a change.” _

_ “I like that,” Mike noted thoughtfully with a nod.  _

_ “Whose side are you on?” Nanaba asked.  _

_ He shrugged; “Both sound good to me.” _

_ “Yeah, I’m with Mike on this,” Eld spoke up as he leaned back to stretch his arms. “A lawsuit has a lower chance of success but is really effective, and writing something can give us quicker results but that’s only if the government takes interest in it. They’re both good to me.” _

_ “This is probably one of the last things you should be indifferent on,” Gunther frowned. _

_ “Sorry  _ not  _ sorry about it, but I’m staying in the middle.” _

_ “You have to make up your mind—” _

_ “There’s nothing wrong with being neutral,” Mike stated.  _

_ “Yeah, because you don’t have to make a decision,” Auruo sneered.  _

_ “Enough,” Levi snapped, a quiet warning to stop talking. “The lawsuit is the most effective way we can get our names out there. It’ll cause attention, and the government will be forced to act on it. Sending in a piece of paper with a list of what we want will do us nothing but lead us to a dead end.” _

_ “But the lawsuit—” Petra began, but the Capricorn cut her off.  _

_ “I know. It can’t guarantee us a lot of success. But we need to get the people’s attention and get them focused on our project. And if we can’t do that, all of this will be for nothing.” _

_ There was no further protest, Levi’s comments scaring the others into silence. When no one said anything else, he gathered his things and nodded to Erwin at the opposite end of the table. The Libra knew where to find him. _

_ “Thank you all for coming,” Erwin said with a faint smile. “You may leave.” _

_ While the rest of the room dispersed and began to go their separate ways, Mike stayed back and waited until they were the only two left. The Scorpio looked ready to leave, but he had flipped through the pages of a rather thick book and handed it over to the other. _

_ “I found this last week,” he informed the shorter blond, crossing his arms in front of his chest. In the margins of the page, there was an address scribbled down in a blue inkpen, smeared at the edges as if it had been quickly written. “It’s from a childhood friend of mine. Her family owns a cabin in the national park a couple hours away. That’s the address.” _

_ “Is she trying to tell you something important?” Erwin asked, looking up from the book. _

_ “It’s a backup plan in case things go downhill.” Mike leaned forward on the soles of his hand so that he and Erwin were nose to nose. “We cannot fail this. And if we do, they’re going to come after us. We need to get away,” he tapped on the address, “and this is how.” _

_ The Libra kept quiet before he nodded, and then he shut the book and handed it over. “Understood.” A smile, one oozing with confidence, rose on his lips. “I’ll keep that in mind.  _ If _ we somehow manage to fail.” _

_ “Don’t get cocky.” Mike stuffed the book into his bag and pulled the strap over his head. “It’ll be our downfall.” _

 

Chapter 14: Writ of Division

 

“Armin! Hey!”

The Scorpio was halfway out the main entrance when Historia called out to him, and he turned to hold the door open for both her and Annie. There was no reason to ask why they were hurrying after him; he would have done the same in their position. With a quiet sigh, he sat down on the highest step so that the other two blondes could sit beside him. “Whatever you’re going to try and convince me,” he said, “you can stop right here.”

“You didn’t bring your stuff,” Annie stated. 

“I don’t need it anymore.”

“You need your coat at least,” the Cap pointed out. “This is upstate New York in February. You’ll need it.”

“It wouldn’t matter.”

“Armin, don’t talk like that.”

Armin whipped around to face her. “There’s no purpose for this, Historia. We have nothing but information on the government’s past. There are twelve of us and none of us know what to do. And I’m responsible for that because I’m the leader. I should know what I’m doing so I can effectively lead you all, but I…I can’t.”

Annie stood up in front of him and guided his eyes to meet her’s, ocean blue to pure ice. “My parents didn’t kill themselves so I could focus on getting them justice and then have the only opportunity taken away from me. We need you to lead us, just as much as you need us to support you. It can’t be a one-sided thing.”

“We’re here to help,” Historia added. “You’re not alone. And it’s not just two Capricorns helping you out anymore. You have a real support system in there now.”

Armin had to admit that they made valid points; he wasn’t alone, not by a long shot, and he needed to support them. He had recruited them to support him, and there was a solid team of twelve to work on directly opposing the government. But without him, when removed by his own urges, they weren’t anything special. It wasn’t that they required his leadership, but he had delved so much of himself into this project, abandoning it would make a waste of his time.

“I want to see that things are okay,” he said firmly, “even when I’m not around.”

“Then come back upstairs,” the Arian instructed. “You could use the inspiration.”

A few minutes passed, giving them a chance to relax and gather their thoughts, and then the trio walked back inside and up the flight of stairs to their room. They hadn’t made it far before they were stopped dead in their tracks by a loud ruckus. The door was still wide open, and anyone in the building could have seen or heard them already. Armin’s face blanched, and he hurried to the room to see how much damage had been done to the room. Annie and Historia quietly hoped that whatever was happening would avoid discouraging him.

“No one knows what a fucking writ is,” Eren snapped at Jean, poking his chest with each word he emphasized. The pair were toe-to-toe, glowering at one another and clearly creating a divide in the room. “So no one wants to write it.”

“For the last time: it’s a  _ document _ that tells the addressee to  _ stop _ doing something,” the taller Arian clarified through gritted teeth. “If we send a writ of division to the government, we’re emphasizing that what they’re doing is wrong.”

“Why can’t we just write a bill of rights?” Sasha groaned. “Your idea sounds too boring!”

“A bill of rights could be taken as a replacement for the current one,” explained Marco, “and it’s not what we want to change. We would just end up rewriting a lot of current laws. Like I said, this isn't a coup.”

“Yeah, but we can just gloss over those,” Reiner said with a dismissive wave of his hand. “They’ll get the gist of it.”

“Reiner, this government takes everything with a grain of salt,” Bertolt reminded him. “If it’s not clear, it doesn’t apply.”

“Prove it or it’s not true.”

Jean rolled his eyes, but his attention drifted off to the front door. When he noticed the three standing in the doorway, he let out an obnoxious sigh of relief. “Thank  _ God _ ,” he leaned against the table behind him. “I had to take control of these idiots while  _ you _ were playing runaway.”

“Heh, sorry, Jean,” Armin sheepishly replied as he joined them on the lower level. The tone in his voice gave the two other short blondes hope that he was satisfied with what he saw. “But instead of fighting over what to write, why not just combine it?”

“I appreciate your conflict resolution skills, RA, but there’s no way you can do that.”

“Not necessarily. We can have the content written for the writ portion, but the format will be like a bill of rights, with a preface and a list of what we need.”

“For the record, I did offer that,” Ymir, looking up from her scribbling on the whiteboard, stated with a raise of her hand. “But no one wanted to listen to me.”

“I can testify that only half of that is right,” Eren remarked. 

“Testify against me and you lose your testicles, buddy.”

“So we’re doing this?” Reiner asked. “You’re still in?”

Armin nodded, confident and sure, and his gaze flitted to Historia and Annie. The shorter female was smiling at him, proud and glad in his change of attitude. And if he looked close enough, he could see a slight rise of a smile on the latter’s features—rare, from what he’s learned, but appreciated all the same. Finally, they had a plan, as unorganized as it was, and all it took was a moment of self-consciousness to inspire their movement. 

Perhaps that’s what made it so great. It wasn’t his any longer. He was sharing the experience with eleven other people, diverse in so many ways, and they were in this together. It was their writ of division that could make a change. 

The Scorpio tried to bite back a grin, but failed to keep it down. “Someone wake Connie. We have a lot to do.”

* * *

**Day 1**

On the first night preparing for their writ, the twelve had decided to dedicate it to refreshing their minds with the information they had gathered throughout the past weeks. They ordered boxes of Chinese takeout for dinner as they discussed a reasonable schedule to follow and agreed on how to use their time. They agreed to focus on one topic each that they found appealing, whether they could relate to it or if it affected them enough to demand for its change. With the time they were putting in, they should have a better idea on what they were writing by the end of the next day. That way, they could write their portion of the writ and put it together in a matter of days.

And so, with a plan in motion, they delved into research once again, burrowed in books and scribbling down what struck a chord with them the most. Books were arranged, notes were shared, events were attempted to be understood properly. Once it became darker, beyond reasonable hours, they shut off the main lights and used the flashlights built into their smartphones as light sources. Connie and Sasha volunteered to gather some blankets and pillows, in case someone wanted a comfier station, and set out to retrieve them.

Reiner returned from taking out any garbage from dinner and shut the door quietly behind him before he walked back to his spot along the wall. He stopped, however, when he noticed Historia standing by one of the large windows, gazing out with a content expression. She seemed to be at peace, what little light was left streaming in and giving her an almost heavenly glow. When they were working—or, when Armin was, at least—she and Bertolt put in their all, constantly moving and helping others. The others had to force them to take a break and eat something, and they hadn’t bothered to sit down when the group dispersed, helping and talking with them. Now, Reiner could see how relaxed she was, her shoulders no longer perched in their raised position. Her eyes, a crystal clear blue, were soft, void of worry or purpose. She was truly relaxed, and it was a beautiful sight.

Said eyes flitted over to him, most likely feeling his stare, and she smiled warmly. Even if he wasn’t interested, there was no denying she was beautiful. “Do you need any more help, Reiner?”

He shook his head and leaned against the wall, his own gaze wandering outside the window. “Nah, I’m good for right now,” he assured her, and shot her a grin, “but thanks for the offer.”

She only returned the smile, just as bright as before. As far as he knew, there was no reason for her to be so happy, to be at ease while everyone else wracked their brains with the most effective argument to give the government. Unless Ymir had made a miracle happen and was able to make some progress in her romantic pursuit, there was little he could think of to get such a reaction.

“What are you doing over here? You’re just standing, hanging out?”

Historia hummed in acknowledgement, dreamily drawing her stare back to the nighttime sky. “I’m just thinking.”

“About what?”

She shrugged. “Life.”

“Life?”

“Mhm.”

“Pff. You look like you just won the lotto.”

She turned to him with a raised eyebrow. “Am I not allowed to be happy with life?”

“No, you can, I was just…” He trailed off, not sure if what was right to say. It was startling, for him, to see her so enthusiastic about something that wasn’t so big.

The Capricorn turned back to the window, this time a little more grave. “Every year, during the time of Aquarius, I remind myself that everything happens for a reason. I was born a Capricorn and broke years and years of Reiss lineage because I’m supposed to do something different than their traditions. And if that’s working on desegregating society, then so be it.”

Bertolt appeared beside her with a steaming mug, the top dotted with a single blob of whipped cream. When she recognized it, the shorter Cap took it gingerly and drank from it instantly. A soft sigh left her lips, even as she cringed at the burning sensation in her mouth. Bertolt smiled sympathetically and whispered something Reiner couldn’t hear, before Historia mumbled something back and left him standing there, blushing furiously. Emerald eyes flitted anywhere but at the Leo, implying his embarrassment was directed towards him.

“What did you give her?” Reiner asked, hoping to steer the conversation towards a friendlier subject, for the taller male’s sake.

“H-huh?” Bertolt gawked at him, as if shocked to hear him speak, but then relaxed and sighed with relief. “It’s just hot chocolate. Our  _ bubbe _ —it’s Jewish for grandmother—she used to make it for us when we were kids for special occasions, like holidays or birthdays. And once she passed away, we would make it when we need some comforting.” His expression softened, and he relaxed if only slightly. “Tori was getting stressed, so I made her a cup. It helps her calm down, I think. Reminds her of home.”

There were several questions that had to be asked—where and how he even made it, for starters—but his mind was too focused on the same light that now hit green eyes and showed an entirely different spectrum of the color. “You’re Jewish?”

The Capricorn, taken aback by the sudden yet personal question, raised an eyebrow, but then chuckled quietly. “Half; the nose sorta gives it away, though.”

Reiner snorted and closed some of the distance between them. “Can’t say it’s a lie.” Silence dipped between them once more, and the Leo found himself breaking it again. There was something about it that was unwelcoming, like it didn’t belong. He wanted to talk to Bertolt for hours, just listening to his voice—a low, melodic sound that was so soft and careful. For someone who was used to reaching high volumes, it was an intoxicating contrast. “How’d you even make it?”

“Connie got what I needed from home. There’s a kitchen in what I think was the dean’s office; I cooked it in there.”

“Just like that?”

The taller nodded. “From scratch.”

“From scratch?!”

“Hey,” Eren called out from the other side of the room, “some of us are trying to be productive instead of flirting.”

Reiner glared at him for the interruption, but turned back to Bertolt, who had returned his gaze to the stars outside. Hazel eyes followed his stare, but unlike before, when he had been with Historia, he noticed something. What lights there were that were viewable in the sky blinked with life, showing off their illumination with each twinkle. They filled the inky sky in twirling patterns, blinking like tiny spinning tops. It felt like a cover had been removed from his eyes, and he was seeing it all for the first time.

“It might snow soon.”

Bertolt said it so quietly, it was almost inaudible. But Reiner caught it, as best he could, and he clung onto it. “What, you’re psychic or something?”

He scoffed. “No. There’s a ring around the m…” The brunet turned to face him, but he halted and stared at him, eyes wide with shock. Unsure of what to do, and not wanting to do something regrettable, the Leo returned the gaze, just as still and just as surprised. They had moved closer to one another, puffs of air dancing against their lips, shoulders nearly touching. Flickers of forest green melded into olive tones, focused solely on the kaleidoscope of hazel shining before him. There was no direct contact, just slight brushes, and yet it was all electric, a realization that the person beside him was real and was incredible in every way that made him who he was. Something about it cleared their heads, removed any hesitation or thought about segregation and kept it out. They were completely removed from reality, scooped up and dropped in their own realm.

Bertolt opened his mouth to talk, but no sound came out, and he shut it in failure. Reiner closed the remaining distance with a small step, making them chest-to-chest. When there was no refusal or shove away, he wrapped one arm around his waist to keep him close, and slowly raised the other to thumb at his chin.  It was an early warning of what he was going to do, to coax him forward in reassurance and confidence, to let him know that this was okay, and not bad, and nothing to feel shame for. Thin long hands grasped onto broad shoulders, curling into his shirt and clawing at his skin and making him wish that there was more to touch than a barrier of offenses. Reiner’s motives must have been realized, for Bertolt tilted his head to the side and shut his eyes and leaned forward—

“I can hear your eye-fucking from here. Knock it off or take off your clothes and get it over with.”

The duo broke away at Jean’s flat statement and Eren’s muffled cackles, faces flushed and noses bumping too close together to be brushed off as casual. The taller male backed off immediately and tautly covered his mouth with his hand, as if he had been hit. Reiner had stumbled back, but remained dazed and kept his gaze lowered. The connection they had found and maintained was shattered, rudely interrupted by time and reality and a pair of Arians who couldn’t mind their own business.

Without any acknowledgement, Bertolt sheepishly brushed past him to return to his spot burrowed beside Connie and Historia, his shoulders raised as if in hiding. There was no second glance, no request to follow, no beckoning to continue elsewhere in peace. Reiner remembered earlier that day, when he had spied on Bertolt and Levi in concern for his friend—if he could be called that, of course—that there were empty rooms, dusty yet still able to provide some privacy. They could have gone into one of them, bend one another over the desk and pleasure him until his hands were numb and his body was marked with stark red bites and thin long scratches—

The Leo clenched his fist hard enough to bite his nails into his palm, steadying himself. Perhaps he should get back to reading, like the other eleven in the room. There was still a government to overthrow.

* * *

**Day 2**

“Okay, so what do we have so far?”

Morning arrived with bright streams of light through the large windows that only reminded them of how little, or no, sleep had been achieved. Most of them burrowed into their books and kept on reading, but some had dozed off in bits and pieces. And when Armin suggested a discussion, there was a near-revolt in the room between a cranky Sasha and an exasperated Scorpio. Thankfully, the Arians, with some persuasion from Jean and Annie, promised energy drinks and coffee if they could get through it successfully. It was the only way everyone had gathered at the round table and made a promise to try and get through a conversation.

“We have nothing,” Ymir stated, her head resting against the jacket that she was currently using as her pillow. “We achieved nothing. Let’s get some more sleep and talk about it later.”

Armin frowned, but still nodded. “Okay…that’s still something. We can work with that.”

“You sound like my first girlfriend who told me she was straight after I sucked her dry.” There was a resounding groan of disgust, and an offended glare from the freckled female. “Give me some slack, guys, we only dated for four months. But she came out when she dropped out of high school and ran away to Mongolia with her Polish girlfriend to spread the word about scientology. And then she thanked me.” The Aquarian winked at Historia, who only pressed her lips together in a thin line.

“Your work is so creditable,” she remarked with an eyeroll.

“Showing today’s female youth the light since 1999.”

“Well, I actually have an idea on what I want to write about.”

“Really now?”

Historia shot her a glower that silenced her before she stood and looked at the paper in front of her. She hesitated for a brief moment before she took a deep breath and spoke. “It’s not really specific on what I  _ should _ say, but…I-I know it’ll focus on children who are abandoned or mistreated because they’re born with signs that are different from their families or their heritage. They need and deserve protection, especially if they’re unable to make a living for themselves.”

“That’s good,” Armin nodded and grinned. Something in his expression softened, a brief flash of understanding, before it was quickly removed. He wrote her name down on the paper in his hand, with her topic beside her name. “It’s been a major issue since segregation first started.”

“Didn’t your parents abandon you?” Eren asked the Cap, and was instantly nudged in the rib by Jean. 

“Eren, what the fuck?” He murmured. “You can’t just say shit like that.”

“I wanna know!”

“Your boyfriend’s right—it’s my business,” Historia replied coldly. Her gaze hardened into an icy stare that sent chills up Eren’s spine. “You wouldn’t want me prying into your past, would you?”

The brunet glared at her, instantly knowing what she was referring to. “Don’t.”

“Then I won’t either.”

There was a harsh tension as the two stared one another down, almost threatening the other to make a move. At first, it was unclear if they would pounce on one another or not. But when Marco shuffled in his seat and quietly raised his hand, they relaxed and sat down.

“Ah, I have a topic I wanna write on,” the Gemini said as he rearranged his notes. “I don’t really have the specifics down either, but I know what I want…what I  _ have _ to write about.”

“Do you want to say it?” Armin wondered, making sure to use specific wording so as not to spark another conflict. 

“Oh, uhh—” He cleared his throat and stood, a little too quickly so that he stumbled on his feet. “I want to write something on legalizing marriage between signs. My parents don’t have a legally recognized marriage, even though they had a ceremony and everything… It’d be really beneficial for families like mine and others who can’t have stuff like wills or visitation rights, or even proper house ownership. It even took a lot to get approval from the courts for my mom to be recorded officially as my mother, just because she’s an Aquarius…and that’s not fair.” Marco sighed, as if a weight had been released from his shoulders, and he dropped back down into his chair. 

“Good job, Freckles” Ymir smirked at him, though he could see there was something tender in her eyes. He wondered if she had expected him to write something more specifically related to himself. “You really outdid yourself.”

Armin finished writing and looked back up. “Does anyone else have anything?”

“What are you going to write?” Annie asked. 

At the question, he straightened up a bit. “I’m going to do the preface, I think. The writ needs an intro, and I don’t really have anything I could write on.” The Scorpio must have realized what he had said, for he instantly walked back to his previous station on the floor and began to transfer it to the table. Whatever he had meant, he was fully trying to disregard it. “So, are we going to get those coffee orders in now or after someone gets hurt?”

* * *

Annie, Jean and Eren bought the Starbucks drinks as requested, gathering the orders and splitting them up equally into fours. They weren’t gone long, though combined with the donuts from a bakery in Mitras, the drinks were a relief that brought the energy up and increased progress. Annie was nearly halfway done with her drink, trying to read through what she had written down last night, when Mikasa sat down beside her. The blonde noticed the slight brush of their elbows, but managed to ignore her—for a short while, unfortunately. She had taken another sip of her coffee when she noticed the Aquarian reading over her shoulder.

“Can I help you?” She asked, staring the dark-haired female down.

Mikasa shrugged, continuing to browse the paper; Annie shut the notebook, forcing her to look at her. “I’m looking for something to write about,” she replied. “I was wondering if you could inspire me.”

“You’re inspiring me to kick your ass.”

“I’d like to see you try.”

The blonde wasn’t sure if it was a challenge or not; Mikasa was so casual in her tone of voice and continued to sip her drink as if she had said nothing. Her eyes stayed locked with Annie’s, daring her to make a move. She would have said something, but she remembered they had both talked about their experience playing college sports; even if she did fight her, it would be evenly matched. Annie bit the inside of her cheek to refrain herself from acting on impulse and to calm down her erratic heartbeat. “Armin said the best way to find something is to go personal. If you can connect with it, you should probably write about it.”

The Aquarian fixed her gaze on the notebook in front of them. “And that’s what you did.”

Annie paused to think before answering. There was no point in ignoring the comment; the entire group had heard about her parents. It was on the national news, and was still being talked about. She was shocked, yet thankful, that no one had tried to talk to her about it yet. “Yes. They… They married for the benefits so that they could provide for me. But they never really loved one another.”

“I’m sorry.”

She shrugged nonchalantly, though she had to force down a bitter lump in her throat. “Don’t be. I accepted it early on. I sorta had to.”

Mikasa nodded and said nothing further. Annie glanced over at Ymir, talking to Historia and holding something that had the shorter blonde straining to reach her height in protest, and wondered what had caused the two Aquarians to get close. It wasn’t any of her business, but they were two completely different people. Mikasa sounded like the type of person who would sit down with a glass of chilled wine and read a book, while Ymir would most likely be chugging beer from a funnel while doing a handstand in the nude.

“What happened to your parents?”

When she didn’t receive any acknowledgement of her question, the Arian realized how deep the topic could be. She got uncomfortable when others mentioned her family, so she had an idea on what she could be feeling. Mikasa’s sudden answer was a shock to hear, though she listened intently. “They were protesting downtown, for a new mall that was being built. We already had one nearby, but the new one was going to be severely segregated, with twelve floors in each store, one sign per story. So they joined a riot against it and camped outside—peacefully—for two days before the police got involved.” Thunderstorm gray spaced out, as if distracted by an external force. “I watched three officers kill my parents and not even blink. And I think they would have killed me too, if I hadn’t been taken away by another protester.”

Annie could only assume the savior was Doctor Jaeger, but the knowledge of that was still an extremely hidden secret. “Was it her family?”

Mikasa glanced over at Ymir, and shook her head. “They didn’t adopt me for another year. The man who saved me… He tried really hard to adopt me. I think he knew my family and felt bad that he couldn’t save my parents, and he wanted to repay the debt.” One hand rose up to tangle with the ends of her scarf, twirling a corner around her fingers. “The courts wouldn’t let him, though, because he was born under Aries… He was a good man. He found Ymir’s family, and her dad was able to take me in instantly. But…that Aries…he still tried his best to keep me happy and safe.” She glanced at Eren so quickly, Annie wondered if it had even happened. “His son and I were very good friends.”

Something inside of her—a very strange, very unusual portion of her—felt pity for the dark-haired female. At ten, she had lost any concept of home, and to find it again must have been a long and harsh process. Mikasa definitely didn’t have it easy, that was for sure. Though, really, were any of them lucky? So far, from what she had gathered, no one had it easy growing up, even Armin, with that mysterious court case that he never revealed an explanation for.

“If it helps,” Annie offered a faint smile, one that took a while to recognize, “I think your parents would be proud to see you today.”

She wasn’t sure if it was a trick of the light or what, but there was a small sheen in steel gray eyes that was quickly batted away and melted into gratitude. Mikasa reached out to grab the blonde’s hand, and she wound their fingers together. Annie didn’t tear away—not because she enjoyed it (even if their hands felt nicely fitted) but because she didn’t want to deny this girl the right support. “Thank you.”

* * *

Eren realized just how smart Armin was when he sat down next to him and saw how drawn-out his notes were. At first glance, they were sloppy and didn’t make sense unless they were read a certain way, and once he got the hang of it, it was hard to draw himself away. The words struck out at him like a whip, lashing out reasons behind laws, comparisons with other civil rights movements that had taken place, repetition throughout history. And the way it was strewn together sounded beyond his years. Armin was an analytical type of person; he perceived things in a different way than Eren was used to. It was too quick for him to perfectly catch up with; sometimes, he didn’t even pick up the switch in time periods or the change of topics. But it was there, and it was fascinating to see how seriously the Scorpio was taking this.

A sharp kick in his shin had him looking up at the attacker, and he rolled his eyes at Jean’s glaring. He could read the look on his face before the words were even out. “Save it, Jean.”

“Save what,” he asked with a small tilt of his head that was entirely mocking, “me acknowledging your drooling over a pile of fucking notes? Or the way that Sasha and I have been trying to talk to you for the past two minutes?”

Eren’s eyes flickered up to see that Sasha was indeed there, staring at him like he had gone insane, her arms crossed in impatience. With a clearing of his throat, he straightened up and set the notes aside. “What’s up?” He asked.

“Jean said you were doing something about adoption for your writ section,” she began and pushed a sheet of paper forward for him to look at. “I’m doing something similar, so I don’t want to end up accidentally copying you.”

The sheet of paper was mostly a study, statistics gathered from court cases, on how frequent a couple got together outside of their elemental bounds to have a child together, only for the child to be raised by their same-sign parent. It was complex, that was obvious with one look, and yet the Leo had organized everything flawlessly, with few, if any, mistakes in structure. He looked up at her in shock; for someone like her, being one of the last to join, she had fully dedicated herself to the cause as if she had been there from the beginning. “I-I don’t think we would have a problem.” He had to force the words out, his mind still a bit scrambled from the critical reading. “You should be fine.”

“Great!” Sasha happily took her paper back and skipped back to her side of the table. Eren watched her go, waiting until she was far away enough and distracted by a conversation before he leaned forward and whispered to his ex.

“Did she say anything about why she was writing about kids with parents who are different elements?”

Jean briefly glanced up from his reading and shook his head; “No, not really.”

“‘Not really’ as in she didn’t tell you, or ‘not really’ you didn’t ask?”

“Why do you care? It’s her business.”

“It’s just really specific.”

“So?”

“Jean, did you look at it? There was a lot on there for her topic. I mean, it’s a big one, yeah, but it just…it looks weird without a reason.”

Jean sighed and shut his eyes before shooting him a glare over his glasses. “It’s just a reason. If she wants to do something weird, she can do something weird. Who knows, maybe she can reference somebody else with it, like Historia. Just worry about your own thing.”

“I will, but—”

“Nope.”

“Jean!”

“Don’t.”

“Come on, at least we know what we’re doing!”

“Jackass!” Jean reached across the table to swat at him with the back of his book, but a quick hand tugged off his glasses before he could. “Don’t even think about it, Jaeger!”

Eren was already folding the lenses and unzipping his jeans before the taller tackled him to the ground. The pair struggled for ownership of the glasses, but they were separated before any damage could be done, the glasses returning to their rightful place. It took half of the room to separate the duo, however, and the other half to wonder when the couple’s actions had lost the affectionate tease it had always carried.

* * *

“Ymir.”

“Hmm.”

“You’re staring again.”

Said air sign hastily returned to the chart she was making. “No I’m not.”

Marco stole a glimpse over at the woman in question, blonde hair tied back in a high ponytail away from her face. He bit back an amused snort; “You got excited because she pulled her hair up?”

“No, dummy. You need to look at it from my point of view.”

“The point of view from a lesbian who’s horny eighty-five percent of the time?”

Ymir smacked the back of his head with her palm and glared. “It’s not like that, asshole. It’s the  _ neck _ .”

This time, the Gemini couldn’t bite back his amusement and a small chuckle fell out, earning him a sharp glower. “Oh no, a neck. Better get SSA on that right away before she shows off a shoulder.”

“You don’t understand—wow, you’re a useless brat.”

Marco shook his head and stood up. “You probably shouldn’t have talked to a gay man about your female attraction then.”

“Suck a dick.”

With a final sigh, the freckled male headed for the door to throw out his garbage. He had been working for hours, and had just started to trail off his focus. Perhaps it would be good to take a brief walk to clear his head. Before he could even walk out the door, however, he ran into Jean, shocking both of them and preventing the other from walking past him. “Oh—hi.”

Jean’s eyes widened, but it was brief and quickly replaced by an awkward rub of the neck. “Hey, uh, Marco.” He tried to step to the right to let him past, but the freckled male mimicked his movement and stayed in his path. He gave a small smile, followed by a laugh, amused from their situation. Marco couldn’t remember seeing him like that, showing off an emotion so freely, even when he was with Eren. “Ah, you going out?”

“Yeah, I was gonna try and go for a walk,” he grinned, hoping he seemed casual. The last time they had been this close together, Jean had threatened to turn him in. “I need to clear my head before it explodes, y’know?”

“Heh, yeah—it works, if you’re wondering. The, uh, the walk.”

“Oh, thanks!” He started to go past the Arian, but he was held back once more before he did.

“Ah, before you go…would you mind helping me out when you come back? I’m working on the segregation laws—which sounds vague as hell, but I need to try and break it down so it’s not a complete mess.” If Marco wasn’t mistaken, the embarrassed flush on Jean’s face contrasted against the pleading glimmer in amber eyes. He was only asking for help because he truly believed he needed it. Maybe he wasn’t as confident in himself as the Gemini expected him to be. The realization led him to grin brightly, and reassuringly, at the shorter.

“Of course! I would love to!”

Jean sighed in relief, and the tension in his shoulders eased up. “Thanks. I don’t think it’ll be long—it’s just little things, but, ah…I need help doing it.”

“I think you can do it either way.” The taller male wasn’t sure where he was going, but wherever it was, and whether it came from his rapidly beating heart or his scrambled head, he was going into uneasy territory. “You’re really capable, Jean—like when you took over after Armin vanished yesterday. And after looking at that essay you wrote, I know that this isn’t something foreign to you.”  _ Stop it, before you embarrass yourself. _ “But yeah. I’ll help you.” The fire sign gazed at him in amazement, eyes wide and confused and so clueless, and he flinched when Marco gently patted his shoulder with a chuckle. “I’ll be back in a little bit, okay?”

As he walked off, the Gemini reminded himself that the flush on Jean’s face was from his bewilderment and not from how flustered he was from the compliments. He was not allowed to pursue that type of attraction. 

* * *

Once the day started to transform into night, Reiner and Sasha volunteered to get food for dinner. The twelve students had gotten through the day on energy drinks and coffee, and they couldn’t ignore their desperate stomachs for much longer. It took some hassle to make sure everything wasn’t eaten by Sasha, but the Leos brought back the requested food in what felt like record time. The duo handed out the white Styrofoam containers, Reiner lingering a little longer with Bertolt, at the hand that brushed his and the eyes that refused to move from his. He had to tear himself away in order to move away from him. 

“I saw that,” Ymir smirked at him as she took the container from the blond, who had returned to his seat beside her. 

He raised an eyebrow in question at her statement, but then rolled his eyes despite his flushing cheeks. “Like you weren’t doing it when I talked to Historia,” he countered. 

“Hey, that’s cheating, sir.” She elbowed his side harshly. “I gotta keep an eye on her.”

“Why, so you can whisk her off her feet and ride off into the sunset?”

“Obviously.”

Reiner chuckled at that, thumbing through a few pages before he passed over a crumpled sheet of paper. “Here are those court cases you wanted, by the way.”

“Ugh,” the freckled female rolled her eyes and bit into her sandwich, “don’t remind me, please.”

“Oh come on, it’s not that bad! People need to understand that you can’t discriminate against others under the eyes of the law, especially with differing signs.”

“Yeah, but it’s so boring. I would have had the brandings, if you didn’t jump on it so quickly.”

The Leo snorted. “You don’t want mine. I can barely find anything for it.”

“Well, you have your hand, for starters.” The Aquarian reached over and poked his right palm, the location of the Leo emblem, and he winced. “See? It’s unpleasant, right?”

“Don’t forget brandings,” Mikasa stated as she stepped forward and dropped off a book for her roommate. At the mention of branding, Ymir tensed, her hand gripping the book a little too tightly. “A lot of the hate crimes reported by citizens have been related to brandings.”

“That’d be great,” Reiner grinned. “I need that.”

“Maybe you can even get a personal account,” Ymir grimaced, nails biting into her palms. “That would really help you out.”

“Ymir,” the dark-haired female warned, and her roommate whipped towards her. 

“You didn’t see it happen, Mika.”

“But I saw it afterward. And I know what he’s still going through.”

Ymir growled and shoved past her, leaving her standing in front of the table. She stormed out of the room, most likely on the hunt to find her cousin.

Reiner looked up at Mikasa. “What got to her?”

The Aquarian hummed, bowing her head and straightening Ymir’s station. “Something that happened a very long time ago that she will never let go of.”

* * *

The burp Sasha let out that disrupted the silence in their corner of the room sent a bright scarlet dusting to her face, and she clapped a hand over her mouth. Connie shot up at the sudden sound, gazing at the brunette across the table from him. The Leo squeaked out an apology and let her bangs fall in her face to hide her shame. She hoped he wouldn’t make a retort on how gross it was (she normally cared less, but found herself caring more than usual when it involved him), but before she could worry further, a second burp followed after hers. Whipping around to face the cause, she nearly burst into giggles at Connie downing the rest of his drink. He looked right at her and let out another belch, and she smirked at him before she grabbed her own drink.

“Are you trying to challenge me?” She wondered with a quirk of an eyebrow.

The Taurean snickered, but his face fell when he realized he had finished off his drink. Sasha noticed his dilemma, and she held out her own drink as a replacement. Almost instantly, he shook his head. “I’m no cheater!” He frowned. “That’s yours!”

“We can share! You sip, I sip!” Sasha took a large gulp then, and burped once more. “Your turn!”

This time, she gave him no reason to protest, and she took his hand so that she could force his fingers to grip the chilled can. Connie blushed at the contact, and they simultaneously glanced up at one another, chocolate to hazel. For a second, she was convinced he would lean forward and kiss her, just like they had done yesterday (had his dance lesson really been yesterday?), and she parted her lips just a little for him to kiss. But the bald male ended up burping instead, and they both reeled back, a mixture of disgusted and amused laughter.

“You’re so gross!” She squealed.

“That was an accident, I swear!” He insisted.

“Are you two done grossing everyone out yet, or is this gonna be a continuous thing?” Bertolt asked as he passed by, dropping something off for his roommate’s research just a few feet away.

“Let them have their fun flirting,” Historia teased quietly, giving the duo a knowing smile. “We all deserve a break now and then.”

“Hey, Bertl, did you ever find out what you were gonna do your write on?” Connie wondered, hurrying after the taller as he walked off.

The Capricorn turned back to him with a small nod. “It’s a writ, and I’m just doing a basic discrimination law,” he stated. “Armin and I were going through the list of who has what yet, and we realized that we needed one, so—”

“Great, so can you help me find one? Everyone has one but me.”

“Connie, I have other things to d—”

“But you stole mine!” Connie tried to grab his collar, but only ended up screwing it up instead. “Come  _ ooon _ !”

“I can help you, Connie!” Sasha called out with a small wave.

“Yeah, let Sasha help you,” Bertolt insisted. “You two can come up with something.”

“Come  _ on _ , Springer, I’m not getting any younger sitting here!”

Connie pouted and sauntered back to his seat; almost instantly, the brunette pounced on him for looking so glum, but in no time at all, they were back to goofing off and making jokes through their burps. It was strangely endearing to see them, for although they came from two different walks of life, they had managed to start an unusual friendship. It reminded Bertolt of the six from the Shadis vs. Dok court case, how they had come from different spectrums and found a common ground for them to walk on and find a mutual respect for one another.

Perhaps they could set an example for everyone else, and maybe they might just wander down the same path that Levi had warned them against.

* * *

“Armin.”

Eren nudged the shorter with the back of his palm, stifling a yawn behind the other hand as he passed. The Scorpio had been hunched over his work for the past hours, drinking only when Historia tugged the book away long enough to force something into his hands. But she had fallen asleep on her books a while ago, Ymir cozied up beside her welcomingly, and everyone else had drifted off at different points. Even Bertolt had been forced to rest his eyes by a persistent Reiner, who followed after him until he agreed to doze “for now”. Only their leader was awake, and pushing through despite the exhaustion that weighed him down.

“Armin,” Eren tried for a second time. “C’mon, everyone’s asleep except you.”

No answer.

The Arian sighed and tugged the book out of his hands. The blond tried to protest, but his hand only slapped against the page before it was shut. With an exasperated sigh, Armin leaned forward and fell against Eren’s chest. “You Aries are stubborn as hell, huh?” He mumbled.

Eren snorted and patted the back of his head before he cautiously sat down beside him so as not to disturb him. “Sure; let’s go with that.”

“Mm…it’s not a bad thing.” Ocean blue eyes, through the lights that streamed from outside, gleamed up at him. “You’re not a bad thing at all. You were just…born a different sign.” His hand reached over to take the brunet’s, and he traced along the tattoo on his right wrist. “We were born at a bad time.”

The words were probably said from a dazed babble, but Eren found himself breathless nonetheless. The hand against his was gentle, moving delicately against his skin and over the scarlet branding. He didn’t move, and almost didn’t dare to breathe, in fear of disturbing the temporary peace they had established.

Armin struggled to sit up, and once he did, he straightened himself up so that they sat side by side. “If we had the chance, I would let myself get to know you.” When he looked up at Eren, it was with a heartbroken gaze, shattered by the truths of reality that had prevented them from having to sneak around to meet one another. “But I need to work here and make a difference.

“I’ll stay with you,” he uttered, not sure what he meant by it but going along with it regardless. “I promise. We’re in it together, you and I, even if we’re forced apart.”

The Scorpio seemed satisfied with the answer, for he leaned his head against Eren’s shoulder and shut his eyes. A small smile ghosted against his lips. “Even if it’s just you…” He looked up once again into teal orbs, and the brunet found his eyes wandering over thin lips and shining eyes, and he had never had more of a desire to know this person in front of him, “I know it would be okay.”


	15. Edges

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All good things must come to an end.

_ After a number of searches for willing lawyers and weeks of planning, the long awaited court date was scheduled to occur in the spring. From early February to the middle of May, the media buzzed around Mitras, demanding answers and shoving microphones into the faces of passersby. It was startling to see how much interest had been gathered, and it was enough to warrant support from the student body of the university. They greeted the ten involved in the case with friendly intentions, stood by them in solidarity when the court date came around, even stuck around after finals to see them off. There had never been a time where Mitras had been more united. _

_ The courthouse was like any other one could find in a town or city—an attempt to replicate Greek architecture and failing to do so. The inside was basic and plain, the sphere-constructed atrium bordered by several benches. As soon as they walked in, the eyes of the room turned to them in disgust. Most avoided them afterwards, but some couldn’t keep their curious stares away, even when they were caught. And even then, the discontent only increased non-stop. The six who were representing the main topics of the case had never felt more uneasy about their predicament. _

_ “They look like they’re going to kill us,” Nanaba mumbled under her breath as another glare was shot at them from a passerby. Erwin had forced the six to sit down and not gather attention to themselves, though with the room bustling with the relatively tame media and an eager public who were most likely allies to the government, it was a difficult task. That and he, along with an eager Hanji but reluctant Levi and Moblit, had the chance to walk around and be free. The others were forced to stay and become objects of attention, glanced at sneakily and regarded with hated interest.  _

_ “They’re just confused,” Eld chided softly. Although he appeared nonchalant, back against the wall and arms crossed, his leg hadn’t stopped its jittery hopping since they had gotten there. “They probably don’t even know what we’re doing here.” _

_ “They see what we did,” Mike stated and, making eye contact with Auruo, tapped the side of his neck. It was the most obvious branding, and the one that everyone seemed to enjoy staring at the most. “They don’t like it.” _

_ Almost instantly, the Capricorn covered up the hazy marking with his hand. Hanji had tried to scrape off their tattoos as a rite of passage with an ointment she had crafted herself, though her attempts at handling her invention were not only barely trusted, but not very successful. The best she could do was dim it down, but they were still on. It wasn’t very comfortable otherwise, particularly for Gunther and Moblit, whose tattoos were on their palms and stung when too much pressure was presented there.  _

_ “Well, these assholes can kiss my ass,” Auruo growled under his breath. “Seriously, do they not know how to mind their own business?” _

_ “Auruo, please,” Petra mumbled quietly, gripping her boyfriend’s knee tautly to steady herself. “Not now.” _

_ A worried crease set itself upon his forehead, and he leaned forward. “You alright?” _

_ “I’m fine.” She flashed him a wide smile, but he saw right through it: her nerves were more frayed and on edge more than they had ever been before.  _

_ “Bullshit. You look like you’re gonna puke.” _

_ Gunther stood up to retrieve a nearby trash can as backup, but as he did, a group of officers standing nearby instantly jumped to their weapons and watched him intently. They hadn’t been very active, simply standing around like guards at Buckingham Palace, but now they were alert and ready to take charge. The sudden shuffle to place their hands on their belts had been enough to gather the Leo’s attention. When he noticed what they had done, his glare hardened, almost enticing them to make a move against him. The five behind him looked from one to the other, Eld fidgeting between reaching out and letting his boyfriend fight the battle.  _

_ “If you want to judge me for my skin color, go ahead,” he said in a clear voice. “I’m just moving the trash can over for my friend.” Each step he took, each movement of his hands, no matter how big or small, was watched intently. It was told from the look in their eyes that they were ready for him to break out into a violent rage. However, he remained as calm as he could be, as calm as he always was, and hauled the can over to Petra just in case. _

_ “What bullshit,” Auruo scoffed. _

_ “One injustice at a time,” Nanaba instructed softly. “Right now, we need to pick and choose our battles.” _

_ By the time their lawyer, a man named Keith Shadis, shuffled into the courtroom fifteen minutes later, Erwin had yet to return from whatever journey he had gone on. The six were told to sit outside and wait for their names to be called. Some other folks had filtered into the room past them, including the opposing side’s lawyer, Nile Dok. He was one of the best in the country, with a very good reputation at winning his cases. Even if victory was slim before, it was clearer more than ever that the case would be harder than they intended.  _

_ Only a minute was left before the missing quartet finally sat in their assigned seats behind them in the crowded courtroom, and they were met with harsh glowers and questioning stares. Erwin and Levi arrived a few minutes before it started, Hanji waving to the six eagerly before she dipped inside with the others. _

_ Petra had decided, as soon as she had sworn to tell the whole truth and nothing but, that she was not going to hold back. This was their chance to make things right, to correct wrongs, and she wasn’t going to follow whatever protocol was customary for her situation. At most, she was going to be herself, and she refused to hold anything back.  _

_ “Petra Ral,” Nile Dok began once she was seated, walking across the room to stand in front of her, “you have been accused of having friendly and romantic relations with a Capricorn, which differs from both your sign and element. Is this true?” _

_ “Who wants to know?” She asked as she leaned forward on her elbows.  _

_ Dok’s face fell, taken aback momentarily. He stayed in a shocked silence briefly before he forced a smile. “Your government, for one. You are here because of that, are you not?” _

_ “Let’s say I am. Why is it any of your business who I love?” _

_ “Miss Ral, the law prohibits relations between individuals who do not share the same sign or element. That does not mean you are allowed to ignore it. This is not like the case of same-sex marriage, where you can get together but do not have the right to marry.” _

_ “No, it it is exactly like that, Mister Dok. Any limitations on who I am allowed to be with that restrict me from my freedom are exactly like the case of same-sex marriage.” _

_ Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Erwin smirking behind his hands, elbows resting on the armrest. Levi was tense, his eyes wide and his hand grasping Erwin’s knee. Hanji giggled quietly, though Moblit struggled to keep her quiet amidst his own amusement. _

_ When she was let out of the room with no further questions, she was met with pleading gazes that asked for an explanation. She sat down quietly beside them, a smile playing on her face. “Don’t hold back. Don’t let him get control of the situation.” _

_ After that, the rest of the testimonies did not differ much, except that each of them put their own personal spin on how they came to the stand. Auruo was problematic from the start, teasing with a smirk as he walked in and taunting as soon as he was allowed the chance. _

_ “Might I remind the jury that Auruo Bossard and Petra Ral have been intimately involved for the past few months,” Dok stated to the jury. _

_ Auruo tsked and frowned. “Aww, I wanted to say it.” _

_ Dok clenched his fist but smiled forcefully at the man on the stand. “Is it true, Mister Bossard, that you had sexual intercourse with this Sagittarius?” _

_ “Wouldn’t you like to know.” _

_ “I would, actually. That is why I asked.” _

_ “I don’t know, Nile, that’s very personal. Maybe you should take me out to dinner first.” _

_ “Mister Bossard—” _

_ “Why do you care, anyway? We’re just living our lives, the way we wanna live them. There’s no reason to get all up in arms about it. You’re digging into our lives and opening doors that should be kept close. If you ask me, I think you should keep your mouth shut and let the laws uphold the rights of citizens instead of restricting them.” _

_ Despite how level-headed he could come across as, Gunther gave his responses as vague or in as little words as he could. It wasn’t difficult, since he wasn’t much of a speaker in the first place, but it was still entertaining to see Dok struggle to get what he wanted out of him. _

_ “So you voluntarily allowed an Aquarius into your dorm room?” _

_ Gunther thought about it, his eyes downcast for a brief moment. “Sure.” _

_ “Would you mind telling the jury what happened that night, on November 4?” _

_ “What happens in the sheets stays in the sheets.” _

_ Dok let out a long sigh, his eyes shut. “Mister Schultz, do you not understand the importance of answering the questions presented to you? _

_ “I might.” _

_ “Well, can you receive some clarification on that?” _

_ “I don’t know. Can I?” _

_ When he left, Erwin noted that Dok mumbled something to the judge, who nodded solemnly. Eld was called next, but the look the judge had—the first type of recognition of interest for the entire session—was not a good one. _

_ Eld was just as snarky, his eyes lit up with mischief and his answers lit up with wit. In terms of physical appearance, it was the one that brought the most frustration out of Nile Dok. His feet were up in front of him as soon as he sat down. _

_ “Mister Jinn—” _

_ Eld laughed and winked at the lawyer. “Please, call me Eld. We’re all friends here.” _

_ “You met Gunther Schultz for a group project in your shared philosophy class. Is that correct?” _

_ “You bet your toupee it is. He was a tall glass of milk chocolate just waiting for me to sip down.” _

_ “Mister Jinn, I would appreciate your appropriate cooperation on this issue, if you please—” _

_ “I am cooperating, Nile. I’m expressing my emotions and explaining my situation—unless, of course, you’re offended by it, because it’s for a man whose skin color is apparently a reason to instantly stereotype his character.” _

_ Dok sputtered, even taking a step back at the statement. “There was no racial discrimination happening—” _

_ “If that’s not the case, then we don’t have a problem. But if it is, then you might as well stop while you’re ahead,  _ **_sir_ ** _.” _

_ “No further questions, Mister Jinn,” the judge spoke up. His unexpected statement brought the entire courtroom’s attention on him. “You have clearly stated your point.” _

_ Eld opened his mouth to protest, but he bit back down on his lip and was escorted back outside to the atrium. His confusion brought on more dread, which only increased when neither Nanaba nor Mike were called in. And it only worsened when they spotted their four adversaries coming out of the courtroom. They did not need to ask if it was over. _

_ They should have written the paper after all. _

_ Erwin gathered the ten together, speaking in low tones. The bustling crowd around them provided an easy cover. “I think it’s time we put our plan into motion. _

_ It was clear that the jury would not take long to decide the fate of their case, even with the testimonies that were given. But they were required a certain amount of time to deliberate, and even if they did decide in record time, they had an hour left to talk things through. Until then, Erwin organized the plan as best he could, giving out the orders on when to leave. Hanji, as his self-proclaimed second-in-command, followed every word he uttered, repeating it for herself under her breath. They were going to have to maintain a casual appearance until they reached their rendezvous point. _

_ Levi listened only partially to the instructions, hearing enough to recognize his name and what his duty was, but he blocked out most of the conversation. His mind was too jumbled to focus on the issues that Erwin was addressing, even when he had reached over to squeeze his hand as comfort. It did little to calm his frantic nerves, shoulders tense and hands trembling into fists. The hands on the clock read off the numbers mockingly, teasing him for how little it would take before he was giving up everything he had built up.  _

_ By the time half of their numbers had snuck off, two by two and divided based on their sign, going in four minute intervals, Levi had stumbled to the bathroom in a daze. He barely had the strength to grip the basin and brace himself against it. Before today, Erwin’s plan sounded great, brilliant even. But now as they put it in motion, and as the people he had come to call his friends departed from him, even if temporary, he couldn’t imagine living separate from them. _

_ Levi turned the faucet on and thoroughly splashed his face with cold water, hoping to cool down. Maybe he could convince Erwin to go along with them. They could live as refugees from the government, the ten of them, in the wildlife preserve. It was a chance he was willing to make if it meant no major changes were brought onto any of them.  _

_ “Levi Ackerman? If you’re in there, we would like to have a word with you.” _

_ His hands stilled against his face, running down slowly beside thin water droplets. He locked gazes with the person staring at him in the mirror, barely recognizable. _

_ “Mister Ackerman, please come out so we can discuss what has just transpired.” _

_ His life was not worth much, especially to them. He was a Capricorn; the asshole, the unwanted; the all-terrain sign; the most hated in the entire astrological wheel. It didn’t have to be said for it to be true; he knew from experience alone. Very few would miss him. _

_ “Mister Ackerman, your colleagues are nowhere to be found despite their instructions to stay inside the courthouse. Do you know of their whereabouts?” _

_ They had resorted to questioning him through the door. No matter; he would not budge. The water continued to fall down the drain. His hands remained perched on either side of the porcelain sink, thunderstorm eyes glaring at his reflection. _

_ “We don’t have all day, Mister Ackerman. If you value your life, you will tell us their location.” _

_ “Your lover will not be safe if you do not come out.” _

_ So that was their game. Threaten the man he loved for the life of four others. He recalled a silly phrase Erwin had once said to him, something he had picked up from a relative in the military. “What are a few lives to a single precious one?” _

_ “Mister Ackerman, this is your last chance. If you wish to be with Erwin Smith again, we suggest you follow our orders.” _

_ A pause, and then the water was turned off. Levi dried his hands slowly, pulse drumming in his ears as he unlocked the door and peeked up at the officers. They loomed over him, though there was clear confirmation on their faces that their demand was not to be taken lightly. _

_ “What do you want to know?” _

_   
_

Chapter 15: Edges

  


**Day 3**

Eren woke up with a crick in his neck and a stiffness in his arms that could only come from lack of blood flow. When he shifted his body, his muscles nearly locked up, but with a taut groan, he was able to stretch out his legs and arms. It had been a few months since he had fallen asleep in a chair, but at least he hadn’t slipped down onto the library floor like he had once done during finals. The slight pressure Armin applied to his side, however, replayed a hazy version of last night’s conversation.

Whether it had been in a sleepy daze and the Scorpio was babbling more than confessing his underlying feelings, Eren couldn’t help but ponder on what it at all meant. It was more than just a friend confiding in another; though could they even be called friends? If anything, it was akin to a middle school crush from the Arian’s side. Armin could be their guide in their journey, but it didn’t push aside the fact that he was sneaky. Everything about him was kept in a ziplock container, bolted shut and surrounded by a wall of concrete to prevent anyone from reaching it, no matter how hard they tried. And yet it only enticed Eren to find out more about the blond.

Armin stirred beside him, most likely feeling the cramp in his neck as well judging by the pained groan he gave out under his breath. He stretched as best he could in his leaning position, only to plop back down against the Arian with a relaxed sigh. The poorly-contained chuckling was what caused cerulean eyes to peek open, slowly at first and then all at once. With a jolt, the Scorpio sat right back up and gaped at the brunet, his ears and cheeks aflame with embarrassment. Eren held a hand out to steady him almost instantly, but he stopped at the immediate flinch.

“It’s cool,” he attempted to assure him, hoping that the volume of his voice would be enough to soothe him, even if he didn’t know what it was for. “You’re fine.”

“I’m really sorry,” Armin gushed as he scrambled to his feet and started to shuffle around. His eyes were still wide with exhaustion, misty with the grip the dreamworld had on him. His hasty shifting was enough to rouse Ymir and Historia up a few feet away. “I-I didn’t mean to fall asleep on you.” He whipped around almost instantly, hand grasping the edge of the table. “Oh God, what did I say?”

Eren debated on telling him the truth, but he wondered if it would come back to bite him in the ass someday. That’s how these things worked out, didn’t they? If he fibbed now, it was going to return to him, sooner or later. “I…”

“Whatever it was, just…” Armin slumped against the table with a sigh, his hands trembling. “Could you forget about it please? I don’t really know what I say when I’m that exhausted, and…I probably said or did something that was really offensive, but… _ please _ , don’t talk about it.”

It might have been from his digging too much into it, but Eren could tell (at least, he believed so) that Armin remembered what had happened and was not happy by it. It not only made the Arian feel guilty for ever thinking that it was more than that, but he reminded himself that this was the first time he was interacting with a Scorpio. There was no past experience for him to dwell on for reference; he didn’t know how to act around them. Perhaps this was the best way to deal with the situation. 

“Alright,” he answered. He hoped his disappointment wasn’t as blatantly obvious as he believed it to be. “I’ll forget what happened.”

Armin nodded his thanks, but remained quiet and returned to looking at his work as more of their colleagues started to wake. The rest of the new day would be used for gathering the last of their gathered research for their topic and compiling it into a single paragraph. Each individual, excluding Armin with the preamble and a still-lost Connie, had a clause to work with that would be combined with the work of their companions once they finished. By the end of the day, the next day at the latest, they would be ready to complete their project. 

Eren stepped out to use the bathroom, but also to lean against the door once he shut it and let out a long breath. His thoughts had been drawn on the blond for a while now, ever since they had worked together in the library. It was such a stark contrast to what he had spent seven years of his life dating, and although their time was wonderful, there was a blaring difference that explained how he was feeling.

In his last relationship, one that he didn’t feel too much regret over despite how recent their separation had been, he had been looking through a clear glass; Jean had been upfront about everything. Every emotion, every thought, every action, was clear the second he had it, even if he hesitated to specifically state what was on his mind. But Armin made him think. Armin was a mystery, who kept his personal life hidden from his prying eyes. And Eren wanted to know more about him. He wanted to delve deeper into the mystery and find out as much as he could, and he bet there would still be more to uncover.

If only he could have the chance.

* * *

It was when Connie dropped his head against the table for the fourth time that morning, amongst crumpled balls of paper and the breakfast retrieved by Bertolt and Historia, and stayed down when Jean decided that the sight was too pitiful to let it continue any longer. For the past few hours, the Taurean had been gazing at a blank sheet before he would scribble something down with inspiration, only to frown soon after and crumple it up. Whatever he was trying to do had not been very successful so far, and it was evident by his scrunched brow that it was stressing him out.

Jean planted himself down beside him, startling the bald male from his bent position when his belongings dropped on the table. When he recognized who it was, Connie scattered his abandoned papers closer to his space.

“Sorry for the mess,” he said with a light tone, trying to be casual but failing from the worry on his face.

Almost instantly, Jean shook his head; “I’ve seen worse than this, trust me. My old roommate in college liked to throw everything into a giant pile and keep it there until he needed something. It never worked, but it’s just something you get used to.” Connie laughed quietly at that, and the Arian took it as a confirmative to move forward. “Do you need help with something?”

“Nah, I’m good, man.” He leaned back with a slight, yet unconvincing, smirk. “Gotta take care of myself, y’know?”

Jean couldn’t help but scoff at his statement. “Right, yeah. After you nearly dropped dead, I would say you’re doing a shit job at that.”

Connie shot up in his seat almost instantly, eyebrows drawn together in offense. “Hey man, I’m not a writer. I either do art or numbers; there’s no such things as words.”

“So you need help.”

No answer, just a bowed head in shame.

Jean sighed and unfurled one of the crumbled balls. “Well, what is it? Do you need something to write about?”

“No, I figured it out last night. I realized that there’s a lot of government involvement, and that they’re moving away from the people, and no one’s taking care of it. Like, when was the last time there was an election for a Senator? There’s just Joe Blow one day, and then bam—new guy in town who’s just like the old guy.”

Thinking about it, the Arian noted that he brought up a good point. Unless it was for a new commander-in-chief, there hadn’t been a real election for someone to be put in a position of power since he could remember. And thinking back on what he knew, there hadn’t been any in the past few decades. How they had gotten away with it, he didn’t know. But an even bigger realization of his was how much of a hold the government really had over the people: how many laws had they overlooked for their own benefit? “So you’re gonna fight for the public?”

“That’s what Armin said, I think, but I haven’t been able to find a lot to support it, and neither has anyone else. I even asked Bert, and he’s super crazy smart, and he couldn’t find anything.”

“Have you tried going with the corruption of the public?” A new voice asked, bringing their attention to him. Marco gave a friendly smile as he sat down across from the pair. “Like manipulation of the press to make things sound better? And not to make things more bearable or basic censorship, but to twist the story in their favor?”

Connie whined and dropped his head against the table once more, but still maintained eye contact. “How would I find something like that?”

The Gemini paused briefly before he hopped up and returned to his station nearby. He returned a few seconds later with a printed news article that he handed over to the duo. “Ymir and Reiner found it. It’s mostly talking about a series of illegal brandings performed on people in New York City who purposefully skipped out on their tattoos so they could rebel against getting them. A lot of people were talking about how not everyone wants one and how crumpled they can get if you’re not careful, but it was also because of sensitivity issues and some phobias people may have. The big issue is that it was a riot, not a recorded problem like the article says. No one bothered to address the issue properly.”

Both Connie and Jean’s eyes lit up with interest, amber flicking up momentarily to curiously gaze at the male before him. After their time spent in the library, he had started to notice that there was something different about the way Marco stood or sat, like it hurt his back to be in a certain position. All of the information that had been recited was in the article, but he couldn’t help but wonder about how accurate the words had been.

“This is crazy,” the Taurean murmured. “How could people believe this?”

“There’s a ton of suspicion in the government paying people to keep quiet about it, particularly businesses, since it can reach a group of people more effectively. And there are a lot of big companies out there who have all of this money and don’t bother recording it, since the government knows where they got it.”

“You really know a lot about this,” Jean mused quietly. Marco blushed and glanced away immediately, as if embarrassed.

“I-I was really interested in it when it happened.”

“When we were seventeen?” He took a second glance at the paper to check himself. “You were barely that old, weren’t you?”

The Gemini shot him a glare, weak as it was, that must have been some type of warning to keep his nose out of his business. “It was a week before my birthday. And it happened around the same time the Four Elements Act was published, so yes, I was interested in it.”

“How did you know so much about the businesses then? That wasn’t in the article, was it?”

Jean took the paper from Connie’s hands, more out of mocking than serious intention, but Marco ripped it back from him and handed it to the shorter male, who could only shift his gaze between the duo in bewilderment. “It’s not for you.”

The Arian glowered at the action, almost tempted to call him out on what he had done, but he bit back his temper and smiled at him with fake pleasantries. If he wanted to keep secrets, he would let him. “Alright then. Call me if you need me, Con.”

He gathered his things and walked back to his previous spot, but not before patting Marco’s back as he passed. The Gemini flinched when he did, and Jean swore he heard the taller male utter a gasp of pain under his breath, though he didn’t address it. His reaction was as much of a confirmation that he truly was hiding something that, judging by the reaction he received, might be better if kept hidden.

* * *

Historia couldn’t understand. Just last night, she had been ready to compile her notes together and write down her clause for the writ. And yet she found herself digging her nails into her skull, hair frazzled and sticking up in multiple directions. She didn’t so much sleep as she did pass out despite her own will, worn down from her reading and assisting others. Ymir had nearly chewed her ear off because she couldn’t organize her notes well enough, and it was exhausting to try and keep up with her.

Sasha gently dropped a cup of coffee in front of her and smiled when sky blue eyes flickered up to her. “You looked like you needed it,” she admitted as the Capricorn took the mug in her hand. “I tried to guess on how much milk or sugar you wanted, so sorry if it’s wrong.”

Historia took a small sip, and shook her head when the taste settled. “It’s fantastic,” she said before giving a smile of her own to the Leo. “Thank you.”

The brunette returned the grin and skipped off with a happy hum, clearly satisfied with her work. However, much to the blonde’s chagrin, Ymir appeared at her side with a quiet scoff and a steaming cup of her own. 

“Is the lioness trying to flirt with you?” She sneered. 

“She got me a cup of coffee,” Historia corrected her.

Ymir snorted and rolled her eyes before taking a sip of her drink. “How sweet of her.”

“You sound jealous.”

The brunette sputtered, but covered it with a smirk. “That’s bullshit. I don’t care what she does for you, at all.”

“Well then what have you done for me that’s so good? Because if you did something nice, you can’t be jealous by someone doing the same thing as you, right?”

The Aquarian clamped her lips taut together, a small growl uttered through her teeth. Historia smirked in triumph, gesturing for her to proceed with her answer with a wave of her hand. When she received none, she simply shrugged and leaned back in her chair. “Shame. I was hoping you weren’t that type of person, but I guess I can’t expect much.”

Ymir leaned forward so that their faces were inches apart. “What do I gotta do, Tori? I’m doing my best job here.”

The blonde leaned back with a narrowed stare. “First of all, it’s Historia. And second, if this is the best you can do to impress me, it’s horrible.”

“What did I do to you?!”

“You’re not being real!” Historia stomped to her feet, flustered and boiling with fury that had to be let out before someone less deserving got hurt. “If you want me to be interested in you, then stop flirting and be upfront about it!”

“You’re one to talk!” Ymir hopped up to her feet as well, easily towering over the Cap. “You’re vague as all fuck when someone mentions your family; you help others when you have a choice to—”

“Don’t act like you know me!”

“I  _ want _ to get to know you, but you won’t let me in! Knock knock, blondie, it’s me, let me have a chance—”

Historia’s coffee was flying out of her cup before she could react, and the scalding liquid hit Ymir’s stomach and dripped onto her pants. It must have sunk through her clothes already, for she hissed in discomfort and tried to fix her shirt so it wouldn’t touch her. The blonde refused to look back; instead, she kept her gaze leveled in front of her and walked out the door. If there was a crowd of eyes gazing at her, she didn’t see them. It didn’t matter though; she needed to get out before she did something farther than splashing an Aquarius with scalding coffee. 

She didn’t return for another three hours. 

* * *

“Hey, Sasha? Can I ask you something?”

The sound of his voice stopped Sasha’s writing in mid-sentence, the pen pressing against and bleeding through the page. Her stomach flipped unpleasantly as she forced herself to remain calm, no sudden movements, try and convince him that she was dead and he would leave—

Connie plopped down in the seat beside her, apparently unfazed by her lack of response. “I’m trying to find stuff about the government taking advantage of the press,” he began, “and Historia got in a fight with Ymir and left, so I was wondering if you had anything that shows how much the government manipulated the press in…” he paused to read from his paper, eyes squinting, “in instances where cases involving children have been falsely presented to the public. God, Jean has terrible handwriting.”

She sat up with a sigh and straightened up. One hand went to adjust her ponytail from falling out of its loose position. “No,” she mumbled under her breath, partially a lie to get him to leave. “I don’t.”

“You sure? Because I need this, like,  _ now _ , otherwise, they’re gonna behead me for messing up and I don’t wanna piss off everyone for doing this at the last minute.”

“I’m sure, Connie.” Sasha forced her gaze back down, biting her lip as the Taurean shifted beside her. It didn’t look like he was going to go away anytime soon, and if he didn’t, she was going to have to do something a side of her didn’t want to do.

Connie frowned at her, his head tilting slightly. “Are you okay, Sash? You seem o—”

“I’m  _ fine. _ ” She spat the words out at him, her head turning partially to glower at him. “Leave me alone.”

Instead of following her request, he scooted closer to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Sasha—”

“ _ Go! _ ” This time, the Leo rotated around so she could shove him, hands briefly digging into his shoulders. “I’m busy!”

The shorter male stumbled, trying to grasp something to shoulder his fall, but he only ended up tripping over the chairs behind him. He stared at her, hazel eyes burning with offense and hurt. Sasha returned his look with a glare before she returned to scribbling down her rough draft.

Ever since she had kissed Connie, Sasha had been unable to get the image out of her head. Even when they shared a drink and laughed amongst their burping, the thought that she was falling in love with a Taurus plagued her. It hovered above her head like a predator, and it scared her. She couldn’t handle those feelings lingering around her; it wasn’t how it should work. Regardless of what Reiner told her, she didn’t want to mess up anymore. She could see Connie holding their child in his arms, smiling at how much he looked like her, teaching them how to ride bikes and making them soup when they got sick. She saw herself with Connie, walking down the aisle, huddled under blanket forts and finger-painting with their kids, making decorative pots for their house and sliding around marble white floors with painted feet so that their footprints decorated their house.

That wasn’t a life she wanted for her kids. How long would that last? How long could they hide their different signs? When they wanted to marry, they would only end up like her parents. She couldn’t remember what her father looked or sounded like. If she passed him on the streets, did he recognize her? Did they ever pass by and not even know it? Was she his waiter while he was eating lunch, writing a novel? Did he remember her birthday and write letters to her, letters that will never send, letters she will never see? Did he dream about seeing her, spending time with her, and wake up to make her breakfast, only to see that she had never been there in the first place, and the vivid dream he had had was nothing but false hope and desires that would never come true?

Sasha regained her bearings by moving over to Reiner, perched on the windowsill behind her, and burying her face in his shoulder. He didn’t question it or ask her what was the problem, but he patted her back and rested his cheek against her head, and let her release her anguish.

* * *

Of the people Bertolt had gotten to know during this process, excluding those he was already friendly with, he found Annie the most interesting of them. There was something cold about her exterior, from the way she sat to the way she talked. She made it seem like she was past all of “this nonsense”, as she had dubbed it, but he also saw how much she used that shell to her advantage. After the death of her parents, Annie had been fueled by a rage that propelled her to work until she could barely keep her eyes open. She kept to herself, for the most part, and didn’t comment on something unless it was asked of her. It may not have been easy to approach her, but it helped, in a way. The only reason why Bertolt pursued after her was because he seemed to be the only person she didn’t disregard. Even Jean and Eren often got a cold shoulder or a grunt when they asked her a question, much to their dismay. But she never seemed to do that to the Capricorn, for whatever reason.

Bertolt delivered her ordered lunch to her, and she mumbled her thanks, submerged in her work and only half-aware of reality. She had been made up of quiet thanks and incomprehensible murmurs for a while now; he wasn’t offended by it. Her head had barely lifted from the page, bangs dusting against the paper as she raced to finish what she was writing.

“You’re gonna wear your hand down if you go on much longer,” he chided softly as he returned to paging through his own notes.

Annie scoffed but didn’t look over at him. “You’re one to talk,” she said. “How antisocial were you yesterday?”

“I wasn’t that bad.”

“I bought you a drink and you sounded like a caveman.”

“I thanked you properly.”

This time, the Arian gazed at him with an amused smirk. “Three hours later.”

Bertolt scoffed under his breath and rolled his eyes. “I didn’t know you were keeping track.”

“Are you two flirting?”

The abrupt question from Reiner that interrupted the joking air between them was enough to destroy said atmosphere and bring a glower from Annie. Her amused smirk instantly turned into a disapproving scowl as she turned to face the eavesdropping Leo. “Does it matter?”

He shrugged; “It’s a question.”

“I asked one too.”

“I asked first.”

“We’re not flirting,” Bertolt stated with a slight tremor to his tone. He hadn’t talked to Reiner since last night, when the blond had gingerly guided him to rest on a makeshift bed compiled of a blanket and pillow Sasha had snagged from home. The Capricorn had fallen asleep with a gentle yet large hand running through his hair, and he woke up much closer to the Leo than he remembered. It didn’t help that his dream that night had been nothing more of what his life would be like if he let himself love the other man like Reiner seemed to want, complete with kissing and hand-holding and a much-too-intimate night that had Bertolt willing away the excitement below his waist when he awoke.

A thin eyebrow quirked up in question, Reiner leaned forward, chin resting in his palm. “Sounds like it to me.”

“Keep your nose out of our conversation,” sneered Annie. “No one asked for it.”

“I don’t think Bert minds, do you?” The Leo smirked, as if already knowing the answer.

“…Bertolt.” He looked over at him, green eyes hardened into a harsh warning. “My name is Bertolt.”

Reiner frowned, clearly disappointed by the response. If he didn’t know any better, the Capricorn would even say he was worried. “You alright?”

“I’m great.” If there were any further questions, Bertolt ignored them, and stood up instead. “I’ll be back soon, alright?”

Annie nodded, and followed after him. When Reiner tried to do the same, her glare was enough to convince him to let them be. The duo weren’t gone for long, an hour at most, simply walking in silence to get some fresh air, but when they returned, the Leo barely acknowledged their presence just a few feet away.

* * *

“Why do you write like you’re running out of time?”

Armin gazed up from his writing to find Eren leaning over him, stooping slightly in an attempt to read what he was putting to paper. It was the first time he had been addressed since lunch ended a few hours earlier, when both Historia and Annie checked in on him. Even then, aside from that, he had kept any distractions external and separate from the state of his scrambled head. He knew he had to get the preface complete by nightfall so that they could easily put the writ together and send it to the government. Eren’s sudden appearance and question was not only confusion for its origin, but also unexpected. 

“What do you mean?” He asked with a small tilt of his head.

The Arian nodded to the paper. “You’re writing like a madman. It’s been hours and you’ve barely touched your food. Did you even eat breakfast?”

Armin slowly glanced over at the plastic container beside him, only to see that he really hadn’t eaten lunch despite the energy drink he had guzzled down. Not to mention the sudden rumbling of his stomach reminded him of how empty it was. Hadn’t he eaten though? It was only three in the afternoon, wasn’t it? Or, judging by the already setting sun, perhaps it was later than he thought. 

“Armin.” Eren, who sat down beside him, must have heard the grumbling stomach as well, for he replaced his pen with a fork and the (third? fourth?) draft of his preface. “Eat something. Please.”

The Scorpio had a feeling that he would continue to pursue him until he was blue in the face. It was easier to please him than to make him go through so much trouble for him. So he opened up the container that had his food in it and took a tentative bite; cold, but good enough.

“Does this make you happy?” Armin wondered after his first bite. 

Eren smiled softly, almost affectionately, and chuckled. “Good enough.” That look had been lingering on his features for a while now, if he recalled correctly: last night, when he was trying to get him to sleep, and even yesterday, when he had caught the brunet reading his notes. If he was trying to hide how he felt for him, he was doing terrible at it.

“Do you always look like that when your friends eat sandwiches?”

Not expecting the question, dark eyebrows furrowed together. “What are you talking about?”

“Your face. You’re looking at me like eating is the most amazing thing in the world.”

The Arian flushed and bowed his head in what appeared to be shame. “I-it doesn’t have to do with you eating. It’s just…y’know. A face.”

This time, it was his turn to raise a brow in inquiry. “A face?”

“Y-yeah, a face.” His tone shifted slightly, defensive. “Is that a problem?”

“Not a problem. Just wondering.” Armin set down his sandwich, realizing how he had nearly finished it. He couldn’t remember the last time he had been that hungry. “You seemed happy, is all.”

Eren scrunched his shoulders up, as if it would help him hide his embarrassment. The Scorpio waited patiently for him to gather his thoughts together, sipping his drink. “I, well… I admire you. That’s all.”

The confession was enough to render him speechless, and he couldn’t hold back the grim expression he wore. Not only had he shared the same thoughts (at least once, and it was very temporary), he knew it was wrong. Every fiber of his being reminded him of Levi’s warning. Not to mention, the last Armin remembered, Eren was content and with Jean. Unless they had split, and unless the laws of the land changed, there was no way he could cause anymore problems. 

Eren must have understood what his blank stare and lack of words meant, for his blush brightened and he stammered for more to say. “Look, have you ever thought about—”

“No.” He couldn’t let this happen. It was bad enough they were breaking the laws set up and followed strongly by society. They could risk their lives by what they’ve written. Even if he had to lie, he had to protect himself from further punishment by falling in love. “I haven’t. And you shouldn’t either.”

At first, there was nothing between them. Some conversations lingered behind them: Ymir and Marco regarding a point they could make in his clause, Connie sharing his successful last-minute research with Jean, Annie trying to figure out proper wording of a sentence with assistance from Bertolt and Historia. It all reminded them of where they were, what was happening, what they were doing. Armin pitied Eren, for how sad he looked and how disappointed he must feel, but he hoped he understood. 

The brunet didn’t say a word. He only nodded, stood up, and returned to his seat silently. Armin wanted to call out to him, to invite him back and talk with him, but he decided to remain mute. He could get to know him, maybe fall in love—those teal eyes were a sight he had never seen before—and let himself be happy with another. But they were too busy and too crowded with work to focus on things like that. Maybe after, when they finished, they could focus on relationships, whether it was between him and Eren or another duo that decided to try romance, or even with them as friends. But until then, as much as they had to work with one another, it was best to keep them at an arm’s length until, by their efforts, it was allowed and acceptable. 


	16. Lost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An undetermined path is what lies before them. There is no avoiding it, for it is the only way to go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING for blood and graphic content towards the end of the italics portion of this chapter. Proceed with caution

_ “Levi’s missing!” _

_ Hanji’s sudden outburst as she stumbled through Twelve Drummers disturbed the silence that surrounded the Exemplaries. She would have fallen on her face, eyes wide and breath curt, if it weren’t for Moblit guiding her to a chair and Mike handing her some water to calm down. Her outburst was, without a doubt, worrisome to the group, but nothing was said to spur her on. Erwin waited until she was calmer, though still tense, and had downed half of her drink. _

_ “What happened, Hanji?” He asked gently, kneeling in front of her but keeping his distance.  _

_ The Virgo let out a long sigh. “It was our turn to go and I realized that he wasn’t next to me, so I panicked, because he didn’t tell me that he had left or where he was going, and so I left the courthouse even though I should have waited for him to come back or find me, so now he’s gone and I don’t know if he’s still back there or not.” When she was done, she finished the rest of the water and fell back against the chair. _

_ “He’s probably back at the courthouse,” Moblit tried to assure her. _

_ “The police could have caught on,” Nanaba suggested. “Maybe they stopped him before he could go.” _

_ “Come on, this is Levi we’re talking about,” Auruo remarked, a slight tremor of hesitation to his voice. “He’s not that reckless.” _

_ “He was a thug, remember?” Petra stated with a frown. _

_ “I thought that was a joke.” _

_ “Either way, we can’t wait forever,” Mike opposed, quietly glancing at Erwin. _

_ The redhead gawked up at him. “If we leave, and he’s trying to get to us, he could get caught!” _

_ “That’s what will happen to us if we don’t go. Rene’s waiting on us already. There’s only so much time we have before the rangers get suspicious.” _

_ The Sag started to protest further, but Erwin, standing back up, beat her to it. “Start the cars.” _

_ “But Levi—” Petra began. _

_ “He knows where we’re going. We can meet up with him later. For now, our primary topic is getting out of here.” The Libra tossed the keys of the other car to Eld, who fumbled to catch them. _

_ “You really want to go without him?” He wondered. _

_ Erwin paused, for what was unsure, and nodded, grimacing slightly. “Sometimes, you have to choose between one or many.” _

_ And so it was that the nine were forced to leave Twelve Drummers behind and head for the Mitras National Park and Wildlife Reserve. Rene had gotten in contact with Mike and Erwin to let them know that she would be waiting with a green Volkswagen bus at the entrance, ready to take them to safety and officially label them as refugees. _

_ In the meantime, once he found out his boyfriend was missing, Levi knew Erwin well enough to know that he wouldn’t have stayed at Twelve Drummers for long. The police drove by anyway, just to check, and sure enough, their getaway cars were missing. The cafe and the parking garage across the street were searched, but there were no findings except for the confirmation that the Exemplaries were already heading for the national park. As the police returned to their cars and radioed in backup from above, the Capricorn wondered how much it would take to be forgiven for what he had done. _

_ Simultaneously, the Exemplaries arrived at the entrance to the national park, and pulled into the parking lot in front of the welcome center. Just beyond the divide that split between the woods and the resident cabins was a worn Volkswagen van. Rene, just as she had promised, leaned against the side, and pushed off of it to greet the first five arrivals. Erwin walked over to her, keeping his distance just in case. “Rene Nakamura?” _

_ “The only one,” she smiled. _

_ He offered one back in return and walked over to properly shake her hand. “Erwin Smith. I’m glad to see you here.” _

_ Rene took the offered hand and nodded. “I’m glad to help. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.” When she spotted Mike right behind him, her expression flickered for a brief moment, a small gasp falling past her lips, though she regained her composure quickly. “Henning and Gelgar are ready at the house. They’re also on standby in case anything happens.” _

_ “I doubt they will be needed for that, but thank you regardless.” _

_ The Cancer bit her lip, fidgeting with her wrists. Nanaba, at first, wondered if it was because of who she was talking to or who she was around. But then the light drone from above filled the air, distant yet present, and the fear on her features was clear. “Ten individuals, escaping from the law to hide in a national park for what can essentially turn into the rest of their lives?” _

_ Erwin hummed at the observation. “Though that may be true, you won’t have to worry about that.” A slight smirk quirked up his lips. “There are only nine of us. You’ll be responsible for eight.” _

_ The second car drove up behind them and nearly crashed into the first. The four inside stumbled out, uncharacteristically silent as their fright was sketched onto their faces, feet sliding in the gravel beneath them. _

_ “I swear,” Eld huffed, pointing down the hill, “there were cop cars following us.” _

_ “That’s impossible,” Moblit frowned. “We had some distance from them.” _

_ “Apparently not enough,” scowled Auruo. “They probably got Levi to tell them about the plan.” _

_ “Is that true?” Rene inquired with a step forward. “Is that what happened to your tenth member?” _

_ “He’s not caught, he’s missing,” Hanji corrected despite a quiver of doubt in her tone. _

_ “It’s nothing to be concerned about,” Erwin soothed. “I’ll stay behind in case anyone comes. I’ll make sure to keep them away from you.” _

_ The Virgo beside him shifted from foot to foot before nodding. “I’ll stay too.” _

_ Moblit blanched at that and shook his head. “You can’t be serious—” He quieted down when fierce brown eyes glowered at him past the glasses that caught a glint of the midday sun above. _

_ “I’ve known Levi the longest out of anybody here. It’s only right that I stay and wait for him.” _

_ Despite the clear reluctance and regret present on his face, Moblit sighed. “Then I’ll stay too.” _

_ “You don’t have to,” Erwin reminded them, knowing full well that he wouldn’t be able to convince Hanji or, without her deterrence, Moblit without Levi there. _

_ “Neither do you,” Hanji countered. “But you are.” _

_ “This is a terrible idea,” Petra stared at the trio in disbelief. Gunther tried to usher her along, to follow Mike and Nanaba, who had already made their way into the van, but the redhead shrugged him off. “They’re speeding up here right now as we speak. They’re going to arrest you!” _

_ “So be it.” _

_ “No, I’m not letting you do that!” _

_ “Petra, come on,” Eld requested, already standing by the open car doors with Auruo. “We’re gonna get caught if we stay out any longer.” _

_ “I’m not going!” She stepped closer to Erwin, craning her neck to glare up at him. “We were just as close to Levi as you were. We can choose whether we stay or not too.” _

_ “She’s lost her damn mind,” Auruo mumbled under his breath with a shake of his head. _

_ Rene, starting the car, frowned from behind the steering wheel and poked her head out the window. “I wish I could wait longer, but there’s no way I c—” _

_ The whirl of police sirens was what caused Eld to shut the car door and grab Auruo by the wrist despite the cry of alarm. With the door shut, the van sped away and the helicopters loomed closer, a sudden swirling of blades that startled the rush of adrenaline. The Aquarian hauled the shorter over so that he could tug Gunther back a step, startling him in the process. _

_ “We’re leaving,” he said in a monotone. Petra looked over her shoulder to glower at him, to dare him to get her to move, but he only matched her intensity and fury. “Now.” _

_ “There’s no more time to waste,” Erwin stated calmly, eyes trained ahead. “They’re going to kill you if you stay.” _

_ “Let them try and see what happens. I’m not going anywhere.” The Sag tried one last time, desperate to be given the chance. She was between her three closest friends, to leave with them and get to safety, and the hope that Levi was still around to rescue or find, with the three who would make sure that he was okay. _

_ “Petra,” Auruo spoke up, and gathered her attention. Gunther and Eld were already at the edge of the foliage that was to their left, an unsure way but the only option of a cover for them, waiting. “Erwin’s going to get him back for us.” He reached over and tugged insistently on her hand, a reminder that he was still there, even if Levi was not. She didn’t have the Cap who brought them all together, but she did have the Cap whose hand fit nicely with hers. _

_ With a final glance back, Petra’s step towards the woods made her final decision clear. “Stay alive.” _

_ Erwin nodded to her as she and the other three delved into the woods. Led by Eld, the quartet made their way into the collection of trees that had no pre-made path for them to follow. They had no choice but to run if they wanted to put enough distance between them, hopping over tree trunks and dodging branches as best they could. Multiple times, they came in contact with the foliage, but managed to skillfully stay on their feet. It wasn’t just because of how quick they moved, but they weaved through the woods with no conversation whatsoever. They knew one another’s movements before it happened, and worked together as one unit to cover as much ground as they could and avoid any obstacles. Eventually, they came upon a clearing, most likely a nature stop for hikers, and paused close to the edge for cover. The helicopters still loomed overhead despite how distant it may have sounded, but it was unlikely that they would be found. _

_ “All those in favor of carrying me the rest of the way?” Eld joked, bending over and leaning his palms on his knees.  _

_ “What way?” Auruo spat as he wiped off a thin trail of blood from the side of his mouth, probably from biting his tongue during their sprint. “We’re running through the woods with no sense of direction.” _

_ “We need to loop around the park,” Gunther instructed with a nod to the way they had just come from. “The cabins are on the other side, right?” _

_ “You don’t know for sure?” _

_ The Leo glowered at him. “And you do?” _

_ “Please, don’t start fighting now,” Petra informed them, slightly worn.  _

_ “Then who do we fight?” The Capricorn wondered, stepping close to her with a glare. “Because I don’t know about you guys, but Erwin knows something he’s not telling us, and I think it involves Levi.” _

_ “They’re more than likely fucking, if that’s what you mean,” Eld stated. _

_ “Old news,” Gunther murmured. _

_ Petra rolled her eyes; “If we can curve right up ahead, we should eventually reach the cabins. That’s what we need to focus on.” _

_ There was a slight shuffling behind them, and the four shifted their attention over to what was emerging through the forestry. Startled by the sudden noise, and unsure as to who (or what) it was, the quartet prepared to dash forward once more and continue on their way. However, Levi, worn and tired, in a state unfamiliar to them, stepped out instead. He was unrecognizable, simply because his normally stoic expression was now one that was clearly ill.  _

_ “Levi, what are you doing here?” Gunther asked immediately. “How did you find us?” _

_ “We can ask questions later,” Auruo stated. “Right now, we need to move—ow.” He had taken a step towards their unknown destination, but the sudden movement had him doubling over instead. _

_ The Aquarian grabbed his elbow and hovered over him in concern. “Hey, careful, buzzard,” he said. “You’re not invincible.” _

_ “I’m  _ fine _.” He shoved him away as if to prove his point. “I probably hit something on the way here.” _

_ Petra had stepped closer to the shorter Capricorn, who had given no response since his sudden appearance. It was almost frightening to see him so silent, so withdrawn, like he was regretting ever showing up in front of them. “Levi?” _

_ When she spoke, she regained the attention of her allies, and they moved closer to her side, worry and concern clear on their faces. Ever since they had grown close, when a group project was their only way of interaction, they were always open and trusting of him. He kept them on track and led them to a passing grade, an outstanding one, but this was not like that time. Four of them were on the run, and the fifth had been missing for a few hours now, only to emerge from the woods without an explanation. _

_ “Levi, what happened?” Gunther asked quietly. “You look sick.” _

_ The barking of dogs caused the four to jump, Levi remaining unmoving in front of them. The animals, most likely led by the police force, had to have caught their scent and followed it. But the Capricorn didn’t appear to be too concerned or affected by it. He was still deadpan, staring at them in a gawk, disbelief emerging from his eyes that were usually so steadily devoid of anything. The sight was enough to shock the four from moving, and it was only the increasing barking of dogs that finally broke them out of the trance. _

_ “Unless we wanna be milkbones for the German shepherds, we should probably get going,” Eld informed them, gulping when the barks became louder than ever. “Now, preferably.” _

_ “Levi,” Petra whispered, one hand reaching up to hold onto his arm. Levi flinched under her touch, as if her fingertips were made of fire. “Say something.” _

_ The steel gaze fixed onto her hazel pair glistening with concern that was spreading like sunrays, begging for an answer, demanding some type of acknowledgement. Levi looked too unlike himself for him to be considered alright; in fact, it almost convinced her of how unstable he was. Something had gone wrong, wherever he had been. Petra had her suspicions, though she was reluctant to voice them. She didn’t want to make any rash assumptions on something she barely had any knowledge on in the first place. _

_ “I’m sorry.” _

_ At first, in its original context, Levi’s nearly inaudible apology made no sense to them. There was no way they could comprehend what he was apologizing for when they had seen very little of him since they were in court. But it became obvious when the dogs that had been barking so passionately before crept forward on taut leashes, and the police force from the courthouse suddenly emerged. Those not holding the leashes of dogs had their guns drawn, poised and ready to fire if needed. The quartet could only watch as they appeared from the foliage like predators watching their prey. Levi had only been missing because he had been revealing their plan to the cops. _

_ “You…” Petra tried to speak, to put into words how she felt about his betrayal, from the same person she had been willing to put her life on the line for. And to see him standing in bitter solidarity shattered her heart into permanently unfixable pieces. The effect was felt on her companions as well, and her feelings were not lost to them. Auruo was the most furious of them despite his surprise, simply because he knew how Petra felt about Levi, how they both looked at him in admiration, how they all appreciated the effort he had put in to bring them all together. And this was how he treated them, in the end: with a barricade of police officers and guns and dogs aimed at them, ready to shoot and maim.  _

_ “You bastard!” _

_ Petra swung a fist to hit Levi in the face, to release the frustration boiling inside of her, but Eld scooped her up and began to sprint in the direction they were initially heading. Gunther and Auruo followed close behind, propelled by adrenaline and determination and the yell that the Sagittarius had let loose and continued to scream out until her throat was raw.  _

_ “We gave you everything we had! You treated us like we were the best thing to ever happen to you! And you went and destroyed everything that we built! HOW DARE YOU!” _

_ “ _ **_Petra_ ** _!” Eld slowed to set her down, even if it meant breaking off from the other two in front of them. “Go as fast as you can!” _

_ The shorter stumbled on her feet. “But he—” _

_ “I know what he did, just go!” He shoved her until she was moving, quick and lithe through the forest in a direction she could only hope would lead her to safety. Auruo and Gunther were nowhere to be seen, and they left little trace behind. And with Eld staying behind—to fight? kill? get revenge?—she was on her own and forced to keep on running. Her legs thumped against trunks and branches and logs. Her feet slid against leaves and dirt and moist grass that poked out at the soles of her shoes. And she continued to move until she ran into a fence that separated what appeared to be a farmhouse from the woods she had emerged from.  _

_ And even though she was alone, and she wanted to wait, and she wanted to see if her loneliness would become a long-time deal, wishing she knew how to whistle properly, Petra dropped to her knees and proceeded to dig an opening under the fence. She pried the fence up as best she could until Gunther somehow found her, until Auruo and Eld joined them soon after, thankfully in one piece, so that all four of them could raise the fence and crawl under it to freedom. But a dog lunged from seemingly nowhere and bit down on Eld’s leg, and as Gunther and Auruo threatened to free him and bring him to safety, Petra caught the man raising his gun and pointing it at her. There was a shout from behind to stop, to not shoot, and why did Rene sound so distraught, why was Nanaba on the verge of panic, why did Mike so urgently have to be taken inside— _

_ “PETRA!” _

_ The bullet hit her side before she could even realize what had happened, and the searing burn helped throw her onto her back. Everything became a blur in an instant, everything was established by pain and a trickle of fluid from an open wound and the face that appeared above her. The echo of the gunshot rang in her ears alongside the throb that had her gasping and wondering why Levi had to betray them.  _

_ Auruo couldn’t shout when his throat was so closed up, so taut with emotions that his lower lip trembled in his attempt to speak. He heard Gunther’s final tug that brought Eld’s leg out of the dog’s mouth, and the duo, panting, crawled over to check on their friend. The Leo gawked at her trembling form as the blond, the one who had yelled, gently nudged a few strands of hair away from her eyes, the only movement he was capable of making.  _

_ Nudging her shirt up, the Capricorn discovered the bullet that had struck her side and brought her down so quickly. He couldn’t have caught her even if he had tried. And even if that were true, he wished he had been beside her to at least try and stop her from getting hurt. What if she was now dying, in his arms, in a foreign place, without even knowing how desperately he wanted to create a family with her and live beside her forever? _

_ Her side had quickly blossomed into a red that shamed her hair, a color Auruo hated immediately because its crimson tones served as a reminder of what could be taken away from him. It mocked him at its attempt to replicate the tresses he loved to run his hand through, the same strands he tangled with to hold her head gently in his hands. She looked at him in a plea, her trembling hand grasping at his wrist as the other covered her side. He knew she needed help, and she needed it fast before she bled out or in, whichever was quicker.  _

_ “Don’t shoot! They need medical attention! There’s a doctor up the street; he can help them! As soon as they’re healed—” _

_ Rene’s words, as she stood in front of them with her arms out and addressed the officers, were drowned out when he realized how much and how loud Petra was gasping, how wide her eyes were, lips quivering and hands shaking while her chest heaved for air. Auruo scooped her up as carefully as he could, keeping the side of her trembling body without a wound pressed against his chest. Gunther, Eld stumbling against him, followed him in a silent march up the hill. It was clear from their pace that they were determined to save and heal their loved ones to the best of their ability before the unimaginable occurred. _

Thanks Levi, _ Auruo mused to himself as they were ushered into the farmhouse.  _ Thanks for everything.

 

Chapter 16: Lost

 

“Alright,” Armin, with a sigh, broke the silence that had been over the group for at least two hours. Nighttime snuck in as if it was trying to surprise them, and seeing how late they were working once again was enough to warrant shock from all sides. “Is anyone finished with their final draft?”

One by one, the eleven handed over their papers that had the most recent work on it. Some were lengthier than others, as the topics had multiple facets to cover. But the main goal was to complete their portions by that night, and that was something each of them had accomplished, even if Connie had been scrambling at the last second to complete his. 

Armin let out a long sigh and flipped through the pages he had been given. “Okay; now we just have to put it all together and—”

“Actually, Armin, we’re leaving,” Eren interrupted, packing away his belongings into his bag. Jean waited for him at the bottom of the steps while Annie was already out the door, stopping only when the brunet spoke.

The Scorpio turned back to him in shock, clearly not expecting the announcement. “Why?”

“We’ve stayed here for two days already,” Jean stated. “We wanna sleep in our own beds tonight.”

“Plus, we need a break,” added Eren. He tossed his backpack on his shoulders and managed a weak smile. “You should probably get some rest, too.”

The trio of Aries left then, with a small nod from Annie as she departed; their leaving caused a similar reaction among those remaining. Armin stood, as if to protest or somehow prevent them from leaving, but Ymir patted his shoulder and forced him back. 

“It’s nothing against you, Min,” she remarked as she and Mikasa passed. “We just gotta get home.”

Sasha and Reiner left after them without a word, which instantly cut their numbers down to half. Armin gazed down at his papers and books and knew that he had to go as well. As much as he hated to admit it, it would be better for him if he left like his comrades had or were doing. Bertolt and Historia waited while Connie double-checked his belongings, and Marco fidgeted outside the room, as if he was waiting for someone. It was time to go home and catch some rest. After all, he had classes to take care of in the morning. 

“Hey, Armin,” Marco called out, following after him as the blond finally walked out the door and headed for the stairs. 

He stopped and offered the taller a smile. “Do you need something?” He asked.

The Gemini halted in the middle of the hall, and was suddenly overcome by worry, as seen in the way he glanced at his scuffling feet and scrunched up his shoulders as if to hide. “I was just wondering if I could talk to you about something that’s been going on?” Instantly, his face lit up in alarm, even though the shorter hadn’t had a chance to respond. “N-not with you, or what we’ve been doing, or…anything related to it. I just… _ really  _ need to talk to someone, and I feel like you’re the best person I can go to for that.”

Armin was hesitant only because he didn’t know what Marco wanted to discuss. He didn’t seem like a bad person; it was the exact opposite, in fact. From what he had been able to gather, he was genuinely nice and wanted to do the right thing. But they weren’t close in any way, at least not in the Scorpio’s eyes. Though if his assistance was required, he couldn’t find it in himself to refuse him. “Sure thing. When should we meet?”

The confirmation seemed to relax him, for Marco’s shoulders sagged and he released a drawn-out sigh. “Thank you—tomorrow at Twelve Drummers is fine. O-or any day. Just…before we meet again, if that’s possible?”

Armin nodded, even if a little red flag shot up at the deadline. Did his concern involve one of their fellow revolutionaries? “I can do tomorrow at one-thirty, if that’s alright.”

“It’s perfect!” Marco practically beamed at that, and he even hugged the blond before he realized what he was doing. “Thank you, thank you so much. I’ll see you then, alright?”

With a nod and a wave goodbye, Armin waited until the freckled male had left to slump against the wall and shut his eyes. He hoped Marco’s issue wasn’t anything groundbreaking or startling. The way he had offered it to the Scorpio made it seem otherwise, to which he hoped it was nothing but an unnecessarily large misunderstanding. Maybe it was just how Geminis were; though it made little sense, seeing as they had a reputation for being skilled conversationalists. Or perhaps there was an underlying layer of insecurity that he held for the issue, and he wasn’t sure how else he was supposed to present the request. Either way, regardless of his assumptions, there was no finding out Marco’s inquiry until tomorrow, at one thirty, in Twelve Drummers.

* * *

“How do you get blondes to like you?”

Mikasa looked up at Ymir’s sudden question that broke the silence between them as they walked back to their apartment. She had known something was wrong with her freckled roommate due to her off behavior, though she had kept any speculation and questions to herself. “It depends on what you’re trying to tell me,” she remarked. 

Ymir rolled her eyes with a scoff. “Come on, Mika. That blonde Aries that is drooling all over you. How did you do it?”

She shrugged, casual and effortless. “I didn’t know that’s what we looked like.”

The taller slowed enough that her roommate had to stop to look at her over her shoulder. “You’re joking, right?” Mikasa’s head shake caused her to scoff and resume walking. “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: you are unbelievable.”

“I take it as a compliment.”

The duo remained quiet until they returned to their apartment; Mikasa toed off her shoes and unpacked her things before she took a hot shower. When she finished and dressed in clean pajamas, she started to go through her things for tomorrow, but decided against it once she heard Ymir in her own room. Quietly, so as not to disturb her, Mikasa stood in the doorway to the taller female’s room, eyeing the clutter on the desk her roommate was shifting through.

“I think you should stop trying to impress Historia.”

With a jump, Ymir flipped around to face her, and huffed when she saw her standing there. “Jeez—you waited that long just to tell me that?”

“Sorry.”

“Yeah, you should be.” The freckled Aquarian resumed her packing. “And I’m not trying to impress her.”

“Then why don’t you act like yourself around her?”

“Because I don’t.”

On the other side of the room was a magenta cage that held a small grey bunny. The animal had been sniffing around his home during their conversation, and made a loud enough ruckus for Ymir to look over at him. A frown creasing her forehead, she walked over to the table the cage sat on and gently ushered the rabbit to the open door. When he was close enough, she scooped the bunny into her arms and pressed a gentle kiss against his head before she burrowed against his fur.

“If you were a shitty person,” Mikasa remarked, “you wouldn’t have sent your Gemini cousin a birthday present during the Element Embargo.”

The brunette glared up at her; “I’m not having this conversation with you again.”

“Neither am I. Your self-depreciation is only going to hurt you.”

“Fuck off.”

“Then don’t ask me why I’m happy when I’m with Annie.” When hazelnut eyes glanced over at her, as if daring her to continue, Mikasa sighed and sat down on the bed. Ymir joined albeit hesitantly, letting the rabbit in her arms curl in her lap. “I don’t know what’s going to happen, now that we’ve finished writing our drafts. But I know that Annie is a nice person, and I like being around her, so I’m going to go after her. If you really like Historia, you should do the same.”

Ymir didn’t reply; instead, she ran a hand through her pet’s fur, gently nudging a spot behind his ears. His nose wiggled at the scratch, and his leg thumped gently against hers, causing a genuine smile to rise on her lips.

“I’m meeting Eren tomorrow.”

“What for?”

Mikasa remained quiet, gazing at the bunny that sniffed at her offered hand. “Do you remember how Dad met with the man who saved me from the riot?”

“Was that his family?”

A nod.

Ymir snorted, causing her roommate to glance up at her. “Why does that matter?”

“Earlier, he asked if we could meet to discuss something. And I think he finally figured it out; I always wondered why he hadn’t come up to talk to me.”

“You didn’t go to him either.”

“I didn’t know if he remembered or not. But now…” She paused, and Ymir noticed her hand came up to tug her scarf over her mouth for a brief moment. “His mother died a week before Dad adopted me. It was very hard for him.”

“I’m sorry for the loss.”

“I am too. They were my family for a year. I called him my brother.” A faint smile appeared on her lips, one that she showed willingly and gently. “His friend Jean used to pass me notes in class.”

Ymir snickered, though it was more in amusement than malice. “Look at how he turned out.”

“Gay and confused, judging by the way he looks across his elemental boundaries.” Mikasa turned to face her. “Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?”

Ymir didn’t respond. She only pet the bunny nuzzled into her lap as the amusement dripped away. 

* * *

“Guys, I have a confession to make.”

Although their conversation had been scarce, Connie’s interrupting attempt at a confession caused the Capricorns in front of him to quiet from their shared whispers. They gazed at him expectantly, patient to hear what he had to say about what was on his mind. When he noticed he had gathered their attention, the Taurean suddenly became nervous, scuffling his feet and bowing his head.

“I-I, err…I like someone.”

Historia and Bertolt glanced at one another before raising an eyebrow at their friend. “Is that it?” The shorter asked. 

“Uhh, yes? No, wait, that’s not how…” Connie took a deep breath and let it out in a sigh. “I like Sasha. Like, in a ‘I wanna cuddle in Snuggies and tell her how pretty she is and watch her smile’ kind of way.”

Almost instantly, Historia burst into light laughter. “Yeah, we’ve known that for a while now.”

“No, it’s not a crush this time.” Connie stomped his foot with a frown. “It’s deeper than a crush, Tori! I  _ love _ her!”

“You barely know her,” Bertolt stated with an uneasy frown. “Don’t you think it’s a little too soon to say that?”

“You have no room to talk, buddy: you and Reiner have been eye-fucking for like five weeks now.”

“What are you even talking abo—”

“I like her, Bert. That’s all that matters.”

Bertolt let out an exasperated sigh despite the redness to his cheeks. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah, I am… When I look at her, she makes my belly all tingly. And it’s weird because no one has ever been able to do that to me before.”

“What about the other girls you’ve dated?” Historia wondered out of curiosity. “Didn’t you date Mina for a little while?”

Connie grimaced with a hum. “Kinda? But she was more Gemini than Taurus, apparently.”

“Do you know what you’re gonna do?” Bertolt asked. “Like, are you going to talk to her?”

“Are you kidding?!” The shorter male, jaw hanging, gaped at him as if he had cursed him out. “That would be the worst thing ever!”

“Not necessarily.” The three resumed walking, this time towards the Capricorns’ shared apartment. “I mean, you two shared a Coke and burped in each other’s face.”

“And she also gives you the same look you give her,” the blonde added. 

“What look?” Connie grumbled with a small flush. 

“That dreamy ‘I wanna kiss you because you make me happy’ face.”

“Pff. Okay, Tori. And you give Ymir the same exact look.”

Historia bristled at that, and her shoulders automatically tensed. “I’m over her. She’s like poison.”

“You and I both know—”

“I don’t like her, Connie!” She whipped around to face him properly and block his way. “Not as a friend, not as a girlfriend, and definitely not as a person. She’s the most disgusting person I have ever had the displeasure of meeting.”

The Taurean smirked at her, which only increased her irritation, and he shrugged nonchalantly. “Whatever you say.”

Bertolt wasn’t sure what it was, but as the trio resumed walking, he couldn’t help but notice how tense the air was between them. He couldn’t recall a time where it ever felt like that, but he did know that he didn’t like it, and he wanted to be as far away from them as possible. Perhaps he could get out tomorrow; he didn’t have many classes, and he was free after lunch. Even if he had to sneak to see someone, he would be relieved to get away from the other two earth signs.

* * *

The housing that was set aside for Rose University’s graduate students was divided into three divisions, each containing four buildings for the students. Said buildings formed a semi-circle around a courtyard, complete with a stone walkway and a gazebo in the center. It was often used  as a quiet getaway on nice nights, and Sasha found herself wandering there once she had returned back home. Reiner was taking a shower, but she was sure he would know where to find her when he was done. She simply needed time to clear her head. 

She recalled the time, shortly after she and Reiner had joined Armin’s cause, that she had accepted the fact that the feelings she felt for the Taurean were alright. Without missing a beat, Sasha recognized that they were there, and the stirring in her heart was taken with a dreamy sigh and a wish for more. But that was before she danced with him, before she initiated the most breathtaking kiss she had experienced to date, before she had shared her drink with him because she felt bad that his was gone, before she had realized just how real everything was. It was before the brunette remembered the consequences for a relationship with Connie.

But what was she supposed to do now? She had already submerged herself into a deep-enough hole with Connie. He felt like a friend, though she looked at him like a lover, and there was nothing she wanted more at that moment than to hold that bald head of his close to her, protect him from the evils that threatened to tear them apart. But she wasn’t brave enough to pull off something that amazing. She was barely brave enough to admit to herself that she liked him.

Just as she had predicted, Reiner had found her, seated quietly in the gazebo, and he sat down beside her. He made no move towards her, and he didn’t speak, probably to give her the space she wordlessly requested when she first spotted him.

“How long did it take you to find me?”

Reiner glanced over at her when she asked her question, and he shrugged lightly. “Not long,” he said in a quiet voice. “It was obvious that you were distracted about something.”

Sasha nodded faintly, a small nudge of her head that even she was barely aware of. “I know what you said about letting myself love…of just letting things happen,” she stated, choosing her words carefully. “But there are some things that hurt too much to go along with.”

There was a small pause, and when the brunette fixed her stare on her roommate, she noticed how worn he looked. It might have been a trick of the dim lighting from streetlights, maybe her eyes playing tricks on her, but it looked to her like he was exhausted. He hadn’t even heard what she had to say, and already he was like that. Had she done something to bring this about?

“Sash,” he began in a cautious tone, “I don’t know what else you want me to say. Or do, for that matter. I’ve said all I could about him.”

The female Leo gawked at him, her eyebrows scrunched together in blaring displeasure. In the time she had known Reiner, he had never once given up on her. Since their freshman year, at separate universities, they had been in close contact with one another. The thought of abandoning the protective brother image he had naturally provided was something she would have never expected, seeing as how much he dedicated himself to it.

Reiner must have seen how much his words had affected her, and how bad it had sounded, as he scrambled to backtrack. “I’m not ditching you. I just can’t see how I can help you anymore.”

“Isn’t that basically the same thing?” She scowled.

The blond frowned, appalled by the assumption; “No, it’s not. I’m just…” He paused once more, as if searching desperately for the words. “I’m going through my own shit—” Her scoff brought a fierce scowl to his face, an unusual sight from him. “And it’s hard to keep track of two things at once.”

“Sorry to be such a bother,” she grumbled. 

“You’re not!”

“That’s not what it sounds like to me!”

“Sash, a couple weeks ago, I made out with Bertolt on the conference table. The first time I actually got to talk to him was a couple days ago, and he’s been swimming around in my head for  _ days _ now. And it’s wrong, because the government says so, but I don’t feel any different when I’m around him. I mean, he makes me really happy, even if he’s been sorta…wishy-washy with how he feels about me. And today was the first day where it felt bad to talk to him, and…” Reiner shook his head in disbelief. “I hated every bit of it.”

The confession, as much as she hated to admit it, and as much as she regretted it, caused a bittersweet warmth to twist into her stomach. She knew of Reiner’s more adventurous romantic pursuits in high school, and the often comical accomplishments with sexual partners, but there had never been someone who did it for genuine and actual love. Most of what he had experienced was for fun or a release of tension, or even just out of curiosity, never because he carried romantic feelings for them, or vice-versa. Seeing him so smitten over somebody was, as strange as it was to say, heartwarming.

Sasha scooted closer and reached over to grasp his hand, all animosity gone from her features and replaced with pity and understanding. She knew that feeling he was experiencing, that raw pounding of the heart when he walked by or spoke or blinked, that desire to kiss his cheek and mouth and neck, anywhere in reach. In her own way, she knew what it felt like to fall in love with an earth sign and have them jumble her head and turn everything upside-down.

“You’re gonna get through it,” she stated firmly, confidently. “I know you can.”

Reiner had gazed up at her when she had held his hand, but now he snorted and looked away. “Yeah, okay,” he grumbled. “This guy is as timid as a baby rabbit. I haven’t been with him for very long, and already he’s shut me out.”

“Break down the wall, then.”

“Sasha—”

“No, you’re not passing this up!” Her eyebrows furrowed together, intimidating the blond enough to silence him. “You finally found someone you really like, and you’ve been waiting and searching and hoping that he came along, and now you found him! And sure, he’s a Cap, but if he let you in once, there’s a chance you can get back inside.”

Something in the Leo’s mood switched, his hands curling into fists in his roommate’s lap. He sat up straighter, hazel eyes flickering with determination, and his entire demeanor changed; he looked more like himself than he had in the past few days. When she noticed the change, Sasha grinned and squeezed his hands.

“I’m doing it,” he announced. “I’m gonna figure out how he feels, and I’m not gonna beat around the bush anymore.”

“And it’s gonna be great!” The brunette added, jabbing her finger at his chest. “You can do this!”

“And you’re gonna talk to Connie, and it’s gonna be great for you.”

The remark stopped her in her tracks, and she found herself trying to gulp down the frightful lump that had decided to lodge itself in her throat. “Reiner, I can’t—”

“Hey,” his expression softened, and the clutch on her hands was tightened in reassurance, “I know you  _ can. _ You have to.”

“No I can’t.” But deep down, in the pit of her stomach, she knew that she had no choice. She knew from her research of Taureans over the years that he would not go after her like she wanted him to. He was too shy, too comfortable in his shell, too hesitant to reach out to her, especially after she had pushed him away with her own hands. What would make him want to make a move towards her after that?

“If you can believe in me,” Reiner whispered, smiling softly at her, “you can believe in yourself.”

Although she hesitated, Sasha eventually nodded and offered her own smile to his. She would find it in herself to pull through and achieve what she has wanted all along. Even if the fear clutched at her chest, even if it tried to choke her into submission, even if she wanted to get out, it would be alright as long as it was Connie holding her hand and kissing her cheek.

* * *

“When did you break up?”

Annie’s question, coming from her place on the stairs, stopped Eren before he could even pull out the key to his and Jean’s apartment. The two males shared a glance, mostly in wonder for how she was able to figure it out and if they had been that obvious, before looking back at her. “How did you know?” Eren wondered.

The blonde crossed her arms and leaned against the railing. “You were quiet the entire walk home and didn’t talk or look at one another the entire time. With how often you two go at it, I thought you two would be sprinting back home.”

Jean stole a quick glimpse at the shorter male before speaking to their friend. “It’s only been a few days,” he stated. “Not too long.”

She nodded, pausing to ponder on the new information she was presented with. “Can’t say I didn’t see it coming. You two were destined to fall apart sooner or later.”

The taller scoffed. “Thanks. Glad to see you’re keeping the faith.”

Annie bit the inside of her cheek, looking concerned for a brief moment that questioned if she had even shown so much in the first place. “If you need a place to stay—”

“Thanks for the offer, but no one’s moving out,” Eren interrupted. “We’re still gonna be roommates.” He offered a smile as he unlocked the door to the apartment and gestured for Jean to walk in first. “See you tomorrow, Annie.”

With a quiet sigh, and a murmured “whatever”, she walked up the rest of the stairs to her floor; Eren waited until she was gone to slip inside and shut the door behind him. He made eye contact with his former boyfriend, amber and teal staring at one another as if realizing for the first time that the seven years they had spent dating were now over. Aside from its first occurrence, they intentionally pushed the thought out of their minds for a later date, so they could focus on the writ of division.

“So,” Jean was the first to speak, breaking the chilling silence with a scratch of his cheek, “I can take the couch tonight, and we can look at beds tomorrow.”

Eren frowned at that. Not only did he refuse to let that happen, his thoughts were on a completely different spectrum. “I thought you wanted one last night together.”

The cringe that rushed over him showed just how much he had forgotten about that fact. He tried to laugh, though the sound was too forced and choked. “I, ah…guess I forgot.”

“We don’t have to, if you don’t want to.”

“No, no, I do.” Jean stepped forward, albeit hesitantly, and reached up to gently cup Eren’s cheek. The hand was met with a trembling grasp, teal eyes searing with tears that he refused to let out. “I want to say goodbye to a great seven years of my life.”

The brunet let out a bark of a laugh, drained and sad and much too pathetic for his tastes. “There’s no proper way to say goodbye. It’s still gonna hurt.”

They kissed with a bitter taste, heaving breaths marked beside tears, and they had to break apart from how little the contact lacked that passionate emotion it had been drowning in since they first confessed. Now, it was nothing but an action, blank and bland, a dull presence that was devoid of any emotion. Even if they had already ended their relationship, the thought that their kisses no longer held the love it had initially contained was unnerving.

Eren choked on his words, but managed to get them out past the streams falling from his eyes. “I hope you find someone who can make you happier than I ever could.”

“I’ll try,” Jean whispered, connecting their foreheads and entwining his hands behind the shorter male’s back. “If you do the same, I’ll try my best.”

With a final shared gaze, they undressed each other slowly and ran his hands down the familiar plains of skin for the last time. With a bittersweet smile up at him, Eren pecked his lips and led him to their bedroom, hands taut and unyielding. As soon as they were on the bed, the urge to release their sexual tension heightened, and there was nothing their lips and hands couldn’t touch or feel. With burning determination, he pleasured his partner’s body and made him cry out in ways he remembered, ways he had discovered long ago, ways he would never cause again after that night.

Each moment, each cry, each burning urge for release, left him breathless and panting and broken. For seven years, their trust as lovers laid in one another. They had seen ugly sides, angry faces, beautiful expressions, heartwarming facades that left him gasping for more. Their fingerprints decked out every surface of skin he could find, marking it with teeth and lips and showing the world who he belonged to, who had claimed his heart long ago as loving payback for what had happened to him. But what drove them to continue until they were decked out in sweat and too exhausted to move, spent and dried out, was the fear that the predicament of their relationship when they woke up was unknown.


	17. Veracity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the help of those beyond their boundaries, those with struggles attempt to find a solution.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a fun chapter to write because it was a risk in their universe and I think it really helps show how far they've all come from the beginning of the story :^)
> 
> That and the next chapter is a long one haaaaa

_ “They’re dead.” _

_ There was silence aside from the footsteps of the police force shuffling around them and beginning their departure. Levi stood in front of the trio, the remaining members of the Exemplaries, his head bowed so that his eyes were hidden. His voice was flat, devoid of emotion, though not in his tone’s usual patterns. He had seen something that had warranted that reaction, that took away his breath. And Erwin knew that he was lying. _

_ It wasn’t from the relationship they had built over the past few months, nor was it because of how close they had become, both which had allowed the Libra to easily read his stoic boyfriend without a problem. But it was in the way he got into the passenger side of the car they had driven in and stared into space, how distant he was putting himself, how he didn’t offer to go after the rest of their team, how he gave no details on what had happened. Just two words, without an explanation, and then he was silent. Something was wrong from that instant. _

_ Hanji’s reaction was genuine shock, her body frozen on the spot and her eyes wide. Moblit was just as dazed, hands limp by his side and mouth opening and closing like a goldfish. Erwin had to usher them both into the car in order to get them to move, even if he had to nudge their feet with his like dogs nipping at the heels of sheep. _

_ “We need to go back for them,” Hanji mumbled as he opened the backseat’s door for her. “Erwin, we need to go back!” _

_ “The police will bring them back to us,” he stated, though even if he believed that they had died, he doubted there would be a proper burial for a few revolutionaries who did nothing but cause trouble. “We have to worry about getting back to the courthouse.” _

_ She shook her arm free of the Libra’s grasp. “We can’t just leave them in the woods! The flies will find their bodies and destroy them from the outside! Maggots will get into them, the smell from their decomposing bodies will be terrible—” _

_ “Hanji, please,” Moblit pleaded with her, waiting for her to slide into the car. His hands had curled into taut fists that shook with the restraint he had. With a frown that only seemed to get heavier by the second, he grasped onto the Virgo’s shoulder. “Just get in the car.” _

_ Hanji glared at him, appalled by how quickly he had switched from her side, but got into the backseat and scooted over for her friend. The Piscean paused to look up at Erwin with a broken stare, a silent question of  _ How did this happen? _ , before he got in himself. _

_ Erwin shut the door for him and got behind the wheel of the car. He noted, as he started the vehicle and glanced in the rear mirrors, that the car Eld had driven in was still parked behind him. There was enough space to get out, but it was strange to see nonetheless. It caused him to halt where he was and ponder once more on the likelihood of their six friends dying. _

_ “Are you alright?” _

_ Levi was looking at him, his expression still a clean slate; there wasn’t even a hint of concern on his features, despite what Erwin would have expected. He really did look like he had gone through hell and back. Though whether it was the same hell he was telling his comrades was a different story. _

_ “I’m fine,” Erwin smiled, as phony as he knew it was, and pulled the car out so he could turn around and follow the police brigade that had followed them. “Just wondering why they would kill six unarmed runaways who are involved in an important court case.” _

_ The answer had clearly upset his lover, as his stare never left his face. “Their orders were to shoot to kill,” he stated coldly. If he believed him more, the blond would have said he was offended for the lack of faith he had. “I should know; I sat in their car and listened to them giving out the dispatch.” _

_ “It was just a thought, Levi.” Erwin glanced over at him, their eyes connecting so that Levi could see just how little he was taking his story. He wanted to ask why Levi was in their car in the first place, but he wasn’t sure if he wanted to hear more lies. “No need to get defensive.” _

_ By the time they arrived back at Mitras and the courthouse an hour later, the jury had made their decision. Even though it was unneeded, and even missing the six people who had made up the plaintiff, it was a unanimous decision of guilty for treason. The defendant, the government, had won. The judge could give no sentence to the absentees, and Shadis somehow managed to save the four remaining Exemplaries from prison. They were lucky. _

_ But at the same time, they were unfortunate. A few days after the trial, the Four Elements Act forbade any interactions between signs, unless they shared one. Even though Erwin had already allowed Hanji and Moblit to live in his apartment alongside him and Levi, he was forced to keep their interactions an even heavier secret. Breaking the law was their worst habit. And it was upsetting to see how much weight had been put on their shoulders now, how much pain they had to carry with the tragedy that had so unexpectedly hit them. _

_ When Hanji tried to find the bodies of their six teammates, she was told that they had nothing to give her, for they found nothing. There was nothing left for her to take, they said, and there was no chance for her to say goodbye. For a few days, she remained locked in her room, rendered speechless. But then something cracked in her, and her days quickly became consumed in scribbles of pen against paper and drinking in books, over and over and over, looking for more answers. She dug through online databases, cracked open dusty novels in the library, copies of books that had not been open in years. What had once been part of her assignment from Erwin and Levi, as co-researcher of the Exemplaries, turned into an obsession that she delved into and never came out of. She wanted to know as much as she could about astrological segregation, more than what she already knew, and she wasn’t going to stop until she reached her goal. _

_ Moblit stayed by her side for the most part, her first student as he read and studied what she wrote. If it wasn’t for him, Erwin was sure Hanji would have worked herself to death. The Piscean listened to her rant, and he led her to the kitchen to eat, and he kept her station in the best order that he could. When Erwin looked at him, he could see how tired he was, but then he would steal a swig from a flask he kept in his pocket that never seemed to empty, and he felt pity for the man. Though he never complained to anyone about the routine he had, it was obvious that it was draining, for both of them. _

_ Levi was a completely different story that gave Erwin mixed feelings and reactions on how to handle. He went to work, tried to sit through Hanji’s mini-lectures, forced himself to be held within the Libra’s grasp at night, and it was almost like he was empty. There was nothing but a hollow shell with purple bags under his eyes that punctured pale skin. He talked in bits and pieces, sometimes silent for days, sometimes the same response, like an unbreakable routine. It broke him to see his lover in such a dazed state, and there were times when he would ask himself if it would be good to ask him about it. But even he knew, as well as he knew Levi, that the possibilities of getting any type of answer were slim.  _

_ It wouldn’t be until two years later when Erwin, returning from work, driven out of curiosity, drove back through the national park to the address Mike had found once upon a time. It wouldn’t be until two years later, when he would drive by Rene’s home and recognize the shadows in the windows and the voices that bled from inside. It wouldn’t be until two years later, submerged in foliage and hidden from their eyes, that Erwin would see the six members of the Exemplaries, walking, laughing, heartbroken, alive, for his own eyes. It wouldn’t be until two years later that Erwin finally found the truth of Levi’s lie, and decided to keep his own secret. _

 

Chapter 17: Veracity 

 

Jean was the first to wake the next morning, lying on the right side of the bed, thankfully on his side. His mind whirled from the previous night’s memories, causing a sudden ache in his heart with the reminder that it had been their final night for his relationship with Eren. Below his waist was the familiar throb that came with their more vigorous activities. An embarrassed flush appeared on his face when he noticed the scattering of toys and rope on the floor. Another glance at his wrist confirmed that they had gone past their vanilla tendencies. They weren’t just saying goodbye to one another: they were saying goodbye to a routine.

A glance at the clock told him that it was just after seven in the morning, waking him up twenty minutes before his alarm was supposed to go off. At least he wouldn’t disturb Eren getting out of bed. With a quiet groan to motivate himself, he sat up with as little movement as he could until he had to swing his legs off of the bed. A quick shower woke him up well enough to grab an apple and head out the door a few minutes before the campus shuttle came. His class was on the other end of campus, and even if he would be early, it hurt too much to walk that far.

It hadn’t been very long, right after he had texted Eren to let him know where he was, when the tip of an umbrella gently poked the top of his head, flattening his gray beanie. The sudden appearance, and the recognition of the umbrella, brought him to look up at a short male, with a buzzcut and shy honey eyes. Connie smiled at Jean, friendly, and stood beside him underneath the awning of the bus stop.

“I never got to give this back to you,” he said.

The amber-eyed male gawked at him with a quirked eyebrow, remembering the sudden act of kindness he had performed just a few days ago. He shrugged, and shifted his leaning position a little straighter up against the post. “Keep it,” he offered as he handed the umbrella back to him. “I have another. Plus, you’re gonna need it for your head.”

Connie pouted at the latter comment. “Hey, my haircut is great. It’s easy to take care of, I can  _ see _ , I don’t get hat hair—” A single hop gave him easy access to ripping off the Arian’s beanie with a triumphant smirk. “Ha!”

Irritated, Jean reached for his hat, but Connie was quicker and got out of his stumbling reach easily. “Seriously?”

“Yeah, seriously!” He pointed to the mop of blond that was now raggedy and sticking up in several places. “Proves my point.”

The taller patted the licks of hair down as best he could, though he already knew from past experience it was doing nothing to help. “Ass.”

Connie shrugged and tossed the beanie back, snickering under his breath. “What can you do?”

A strange silence passed over them, one that Jean hated to admit as comfortable. Pushing aside the fact that the Taurean had resorted to blasting music through his headphones and dancing around, he didn’t feel an ounce of uneasiness coming from the atmosphere between them. It was relaxed, devoid of worry, and he was shocked that it had turned out that way. 

“Hey,” Connie called out a few minutes later, music no longer blasting in his ears. Jean had just sat down on the bench as gingerly as he could, in wait for his bus, and glanced up when he was called. “Do you know anything about Leos?”

Taken aback by the question, he raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms in front of his chest. “Why?”

The Taurean suddenly became nervous, his feet scuffling against the pavement. “Well, because you’re a fire sign, and Sasha’s a fire sign—”

Thankfully, no one else was waiting with them at the bus stop, but a jogger running past looked at them as she passed. The Cancerian tattoo on her left wrist had him gulping nervously from the possible assumptions. “Yeah, keep talking, Con, no one’s gonna get suspicious.”

“Can you help me though?” Connie plopped down beside him, eyebrows creased in worry. “I could really use your help.”

The taller male let out a long sigh and massaged his temples to resist snapping. “I can’t do much to help you. My ancestry’s pure Arian. And I never really talked to Leos.”

“Yeah, but you’re still the same sign. You gotta know something, right?”

Jean debated on helping him. It wasn’t because of how persistent Connie was to get his help, or because he didn’t want to get caught talking to him. In fact, the more he thought about it, the more he realized he didn’t want to help just because. A complete asshole move, he admitted to it, but he couldn’t see any real reason to deny him proper assistance. A few weeks ago, he would have thought the opposite and wouldn’t hesitate to ignore him from the start. But it was a completely different time now, and what harm could he do?

“I don’t know a lot about them,” he began, “but I do know that they can be…intense. That’s one thing I’m sure of. And you probably see that too.” Connie snorted in disbelief, causing a slight smile to lift on Jean’s features. “If they want something, they won’t hesitate to go after it.”

“So,” the shorter hesitated, “if she wants me, she’ll…?”

“She’s gonna make the first move. And from what little I know about Taurus, you’ll probably say no.”

Connie snorted at that and rolled his eyes, slumping against the back of the bench. Jean had to shift in his spot, with a wince, to face him better. “You’re a pure Aries, how the hell would  _ you _ know that?”

“Because you guys are notorious for being comfortable. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with it, but you’ll end up in her territory, and you don’t like that, because it’s unfamiliar.” When he received no answer, he took it as a notion to continue. “That’s why you gotta make the first move. Who knows, maybe once you get to know her, you can go over to her place. But for now…stick with what you know.”

“I don’t even know how to contact her.” Connie sounded so defeated, so disappointed, that Jean felt guilt pang in his gut. 

“Armin started contacting us by email a few weeks ago. You can probably find her there.”

The bald male remained silent for a moment more before his face split into a wide grin and he pounced on the Arian. Connie wrapped his arms around his shoulders and squeezed. For a sign that was considered shy a majority of the time, he really was touchy-feely.

“Thanks for the advice,” he grinned. Jean patted his back awkwardly, unsure of what to say or do. “Oh come on, that’s a lame ‘you’re welcome’!”

“Alright, alright.” Failing to suppress an amused chuckle, the fire sign returned the embrace. He was bonier than Jean was, which was a pretty impressive feat on its own. “Does that work better for you?”

“Yeah.” For a brief moment, they relaxed in the hug, as if they were good friends who hadn’t seen one another in years. They were catching up and so relieved to see him in such good health. “It’s great.”

The bus came a little after they had separated and resumed the silence that had been present before. The route that flashed above the door was what Jean needed if he wanted to get to class on time, but before he could board, he was stopped by Connie. 

“Does me getting Sasha’s email mean I can get yours?”

Jean halted in his tracks, halfway up the bus’ steps, and turned back to look at him. “Why do you want mine?”

“So we can hang out or something.”

He scowled in confusion at that. “We’re not friends.”

“But I wanna be.”

“What—Connie, no, if you email me, I will kick your ass.” He seemed like the type of person who sent dumb forwards and spams to everyone he knew. And that was something Jean did not want.

“Aww,” Connie smiled, dopey and too light-hearted for Jean’s taste, “I love you too.”

Jean rolled his eyes at that and took a seat towards the middle of the bus. As he plopped down and tried to ignore the manic waving behind them, he couldn’t help but let the previous events resonate in his head. Socializing wasn’t one of his strong points, and it often took a few beers and some persuasion in order to get him talking to people in a friendly manner. But this was different; talking to Connie felt easy. The only time he had to think about what to say was when he was pondering on what sort of advice to give him so that it didn’t turn out horrible and screw the Taurean over in the process. And the more he thought about it, the more he realized how well he had done, the more he wondered if he could take that same advice. 

Marco had yet to leave his mind, especially after the comments they had shared yesterday afternoon. The uncomfortable wince had left the Gemini in an awkward state for the rest of the day. Jean watched, and heard, how he moved cautiously and sat up a bit straighter than normal. Even if he didn’t know much about them, the Arian still knew the location of a Gemini’s tattoo; that much was common knowledge. And whatever had him moving awkwardly had to be connected to that. Jean wasn’t a guilty person, but after his little bout with Marco over his essay, or even before then in the library, he had found himself genuinely intrigued by him.

He wasn’t sure what was the source—maybe it was because he was so naturally and unusually nice. Jean saw how he was around others once he finally joined the cause; he was always willing to help someone, always volunteering, always making sure everyone was alright, like a fretting parent. It was endearing to say the least, and completely opposite from himself. The last thing Jean would call himself would be selfless, and seeing how easily the freckled Gemini fit that role was astounding.

Before he could stop himself, he was looking up an email and sending a message, asking when he was available so they could “hang out”. Just as a friendly experiment. Just as friends. Just to see if the churning in his stomach from that pleased smile would disappear.

* * *

Eren wasn’t surprised to wake up and find Jean missing from the bed, especially after the text he received. He wouldn’t have a class until later in the afternoon, so he got the chance to sleep in a little later. Though instead of curling back in the covers and snoozing until he actually had to go to class, he browsed through online catalogs of department stores to see what would be the best bed to buy. He texted Jean pics and info on their best options, as little as it may have been. His ex tried to convince him into letting him sleep on the couch once he discovered that the suggested prices were the lowest he could find, but Eren wasn’t going to have any of it.

“You’re not going to sleep on the couch,” he had snarled over the phone once Jean had picked up. “That’s fucking ridiculous and you know it.”

“ _ We barely have enough money for the cheapest bed you found, _ ” he argued back. “ _ Unless you have a better idea, I’m sleeping there from now on. _ ”

“No, you’re not!”

Jean sighed, and he imagined the taller Arian rubbing his temples, eyes shut and lips tugged into a thin line. “ _ Eren, don’t argue with me about this. _ ”

“I  _ will _ argue with you, Jean! You don’t get to choose where you sleep!”

“ _ Why not?! It’s my fucking choice! _ ”

The argument carried on well until Eren was dressed and walking out the door, and right up until he had to go to class. Jean would be preoccupied with work and other responsibilities. Though both were well aware of how far the argument was from being over. That was not a surprise to either of them. 

After class finished, Eren made his way to Einstein & Bell, the small cafe in a cozy corner of the library’s first floor. It was the meeting spot he and Mikasa had agreed on the other day when he approached her and offered to grab a drink with her. He was surprised to have an answer almost immediately, relief flooding through him at the confirmation. They exchanged phone numbers so they could keep in touch, and he was just sending her a message to inform her of his arrival when she walked in. 

“Hey,” he waved her over with a smile, and she strode over to him in just a few steps. “I was just about to text you.”

She dropped her bag and coat on the back of her chair, but kept her scarf on. “Good timing.”

“Yeah, hah, guess so.” He waited until she was seated to nod to the drink that he scooted across the table to her. “I got you hot chocolate. Not sure how you roll with coffee, so,” he shrugged sheepishly, “I figured it was my best bet.”

Mikasa took a small sip, humming at the taste. “You can’t go wrong with hot chocolate.”

“Exactly, heh. Consider it a late birthday present.”

She only nodded; she didn’t seem interested in how he has known yesterday was her birthday. “Thank you.”

When they both trailed off, Eren shifted in his seat, hands pressed against the steaming cup in his hands. He hated awkward silences, and he didn’t want to waste any time keeping his secret away from her any longer. Even if her possible reaction frightened him, Eren knew what had to be done. “So, uh…I asked you to come here, because…we have a history together that I’m not sure if you remember or not.”

The Aquarian nodded in comprehension; “Okay.” Whatever her feelings were on this matter, she kept it well-concealed. 

“W-we, uh… You lived with my family for a year, as a foster kid, after your parents died, and…we got really close and stuff. But, um…m-my dad tried to adopt you, but because of laws and dumb segregation, i-i-it couldn’t legally happen. I-I mean, they still let you live with us, until…” At this part, Eren faltered, and his hand curled on the tabletop. Mikasa waited for him to continue, neither encouraging nor pushing him to proceed. “I-it just so happened that my mom passed away when this one family really wanted to adopt you, and…”

“You don’t have to finish.” One hand reached up to tap on the scarf around her neck, accompanied by a small smile. “I already know the story.”

The reveal took a few moments for Eren to process, staring blankly at the woman across from him as he wracked his brain around this newly discovered fact. For a moment, he wasn’t sure if she was being serious or not. If she knew about their childhood, if she remembered the time they had spent together, why didn’t she bring it up beforehand?

“Wait, so,” he blinked slowly, hoping he didn’t sound too shocked, “you already knew everything?”

Mikasa nodded, taking another quiet sip of hot chocolate. 

“Why didn’t you say anything before?”

“I didn’t want to be intrusive. I knew how much it hurt you. And if you had forgotten, which turned out to be the situation—”

“It was a bad time.”

“I know. I wasn’t scolding you”

She said the last line without missing a beat, and they stared at one another, unwavering. Eren felt fragile, like he was going to break at any minute. He raked a hand through his hair and sighed; the situation wasn’t nearly as bad as he thought. 

“So you’re…” Eren tried to find the right words to say. He wanted her back in his life, and this time for good. He already had to suffer from so much loss. “You’re doing alright?”

She nodded gently. “Mhm. I’m good. And you?”

“Great. I, ah, I’m doing great.” He only partially meant it. Regardless of everything, he felt fresher, like he had stepped outside into spring and was seeing clearly for the first time. “I noticed you and Annie have gotten close.”

Mikasa bowed her head so that her smile was slightly hidden by her scarf. “I like her. She can be nice when she wants to.”

“She makes you happy?”

A nod. 

“That’s all that matters then, right?” His hands fidgeted with the hand protector on his cup. “If you’re happy, and she’s happy…there’s nothing to worry about.”

“I’m glad you see it that way.”

“Why, does someone in your family not?”

With a raised eyebrow, Mikasa shook her head, cautious. “No. They’re fine with it. Ymir’s their daughter, after all.”

Eren snorted at that, hiding it behind a sip of his drink. “Yeah, right. She’s really into Historia, huh?”

“And you’re really into Armin, but we don’t really talk about that.”

The red cup was nearly dropped if it hadn’t been for his quick reflexes that steadied it on a flat surface. His eyes wide, he gazed at Mikasa in shock; “Wh-what makes you think that?”

“Because you and Jean don’t hang on each other anymore, and I saw you fell asleep with his head on your shoulder.” 

“How—”

“I had to use the bathroom in the middle of the night. That and you’re terrible at being discreet.”

Eren let out a breath, completely exasperated. Already, with Jean’s insistence on not getting him a bed, and the work load he had from class, this day was starting to wear him down. He hadn’t thought that he had been that obvious with who had caught his interest. “You got me.”

“I know.” It was an obvious statement, one said with a casual shrug and sip of her hot chocolate. In response, he let out a flustered chortle that got caught in his throat at his next thought. He had tried his best to avoid it since he had been given the adoption papers from the pair of Capricorns. It resurfaced too many unpleasant memories to his liking. However, now, as he gazed at his once-upon-a-time sister and saw how much she had grown, and realized how much he had grown, he couldn’t stop them from tumbling out of his mouth. 

“Y’know…Dad would be really happy to know that you’re alright and stuff. He…,” Eren smiled painfully, and he could tell the Aquarian could see right through it, “he really cared about you.”

Mikasa offered her own smile, soft and small. “If I could, I would go see him myself.”

Eren gulped at the break in conversation, and he bowed his head to stare at his clenched fists bleaching his knuckles. She was aware of his death, the one he had been behind when they told him that Grisha Jaeger, their colleague, would only have two weeks left to live. He managed to get by an extra week, but it made no difference in the end. There was no family, no relatives he could go home to at the end of the day; he was on his own. “I killed him.”

His statement took her aback, eyebrows shooting up in shock, but her understanding of his harsh words resulted in relaxed tension and an eyeroll. “Eren—”

“I did!”

“You know keeping him hooked up to a machine for the rest of his life would have been harder on you.”

“He could have gotten better, he…” The Arian trailed off, lost in excuses and hope that was never going to reach him. “I could have done something.”

“There was nothing you could have done, Eren. You know that.”

Eren forced his eyes away to avoid her piercing stare; Mikasa wasn’t disapproving him like he initially thought. It was like she understood what he was going through and didn’t want him to beat himself up for what had gone down. He quietly thanked her, in his head, for that. “Did you go to the service?

“I went to the burial. We couldn’t make it to the funeral. Ymir and I spray-painted your tattoos on our wrists.”

“Huh.” He smiled at that, and it eased the tension that flowed around him. “Clever.”

Although she offered one back, Mikasa was clearly distracted about something else on her mind. Her hands twisted around her cup and gripped it tautly, and she seemed lost in thought. Eren wasn’t sure what to do or say, so he stayed put, twirling his cup around on the table absentmindedly and eyeing the pastries. A few gourmet doughnuts lay under the glass, waiting to be bought. His mouth nearly watered at the taste, the warmth that exploded in his mouth at a single bite, the weight they carried when he bit into one and it nearly fell apart—

“Eren,” Mikasa began quietly, “do you still have contact with the branding surgeons?”

“Some of them, yeah,” he nodded. They were still in his hometown, and their paths crossed when he went in for a regular checkup. Though he wasn’t expecting that question to come from her. Teal eyes narrowed at steel in suspicion. “Why? You’re not branded, are you?”

The Aquarian bowed her head, almost as if she was ashamed. “I swore I wouldn’t tell…”

Eren sat up a little bit straighter, eyebrows furrowing together. “Wait, Mikasa—”

“If there’s some way you can get help for Marco, even if they’re Arians, Ymir and I would appreciate it.”

Why she was asking for this was unknown—not just because of the time, but the person it was for as well. Something must have gone wrong that left Marco with a branding, which wasn’t a surprise only because he had never seen the tattoo. Aside from the fact that it was placed on his back and constantly covered, it would make sense as to why she asked for his father’s former fellow doctors. They specialized in healing patients with brandings the best they could, and although their progress often wavered in terms of success, they were getting somewhere. Perhaps Marco, with whatever he needed, could get proper medical care. “What do you need?”

* * *

Simultaneously, on the other side of campus in Twelve Drummers, Marco was gawking at his phone screen silently. Armin had lost track of how long he had been like that, tapping his screen when it got too dim. The Scorpio had taken to distracting himself with his initial plan to study, clicking away at his computer. His overwhelming involvement in the Writ of Division had left a considerable mark on the course work he was supposed to be doing. He hadn’t come to Rose University to start a revolutionary movement, after all. And if Marco, who had requested this in the first place, wasn’t going to budge, he might as well make use of his time.

The further they dipped into silence, the more aware of the passing time Armin became aware of. He had a study session later in the afternoon with a few friends of his who had volunteered to help him catch up. It was the only chance, until their next class, that he could see them. A single glance up and over the rim of his glasses revealed the anxious hold that had wrapped around the Gemini. The crease in his forehead was an unusual, almost unnatural, presence on his expression. His nails curled into his palms, whitening the tips of his knuckles and showing off the dusting of freckles there. The general uneasiness that had appeared on his features was starting to become a little too obvious to ignore. 

“Marco,” Armin said, startling the freckled male abruptly from the dazed staring. Bright brown eyes searched him for a minute, and then offered a smile that was too forced to be real. 

“I’m okay, Armin,” he answered, as if he already knew the questions that were going to be asked. “Honest.”

Armin ignored the blatant lie; if he wanted to be believed, he had to work on his acting a little more. “You’ve been staring at your phone for a while now. And you didn’t bring me here for nothing.”

The crease in Marco’s forehead deepened, his grasp on his phone tightening. The request had clearly made him feel uneasy. For a brief moment, his glance wavered down to his phone, and he shuffled in his seat before speaking. “You don’t have to stay…”

“You asked me to come here, didn’t you? Whatever you need help with, I can try my best…but I can’t guess what it is.” He said his next words with a small smile, faint and gentle and reassuring. Whatever pressing manner had caught the Gemini, it was clearly a heavy subject. He had to be willing to let it out, and Armin knew he had to welcome it as best he could. “You’re gonna have to let me in.”

The suggestion must have been startling to hear, for Marco took in a sharp intake of breath and his eyes widened. Armin was practically convinced that no one had ever said something like that to him, as straightforward yet soft as he had been, like he was talking to a child. Although air signs were notorious for detachment from their emotions, hiding them away until it overflowed from their mouths in a fit of rage. Maybe that was why he had been stunned into a gaping mess of confusion and fear, of confiding in someone with his issue. Or perhaps he was the type of person who never wanted to burden a person with their emotional baggage. 

When there was still no response, decreasing the chances of finding a solution to the problem, the Scorpio sighed and shut his laptop. He packed it into his bag and zipped it up before he slung it over his shoulder. Marco watched him quietly, chocolate brown following every subtle movement. As much as he wanted to help him, Armin wasn’t sure if he could when he wasn’t allowed inside his head. He spared the other male a glance and offered another smile, this one smaller and in a silent farewell. “I’ll see you sometime next week, oka—”

“I think I’m catching feelings for someone,” Marco blurted out, licking his lips hastily. “I-it’s someone that I shouldn’t like in the first place, but I can’t help it, a-and…I don’t know what to do…” His gaze of weakened puppy-dog hazelnut only heightened the amount of nervous tension in his body. “I’m lost.”

The outburst had caught Armin’s attention, enough that he sat back down to listen. “What’s their name?”

At first, his silence convinced him—for a brief moment—that he had retreated back into hiding. But after abruptly bursting out with his nervous babble, the blond could only assume that the only thing Marco wanted to hide was the identity of the person.

Armin’s fast smile, as his apology, was enough to bring the tension down. “Do I know this person?”

“Yes,” the Gemini replied without missing a beat. “You do. I don’t know how well, but it’s something.”

He nodded; “In that case, you don’t have to tell me who they are. They can be a secret.”

“He…” The taller male’s whisper brought a small tilt to his head, and then an embarrassed flush from the speaker. “He can be a secret.”

Ah, so that’s what it was. “He it is.” Marco sighed under his breath and shut his eyes for a brief moment, as if in relief. “So, you can’t get feelings for him because…”

“It’s not accepted by the government.” He cut him off before he could continue. “And it’s not because of his gender.”

It took Armin a moment of gathering his thoughts and digging his chin into his palm, but his eyes brightened with realization. The words didn’t have to be said or confirmed. He knew already that this person was not an air sign. 

The Scorpio’s silence prompted Marco to continue. “Exactly my point. That’s kinda why I brought you here.” He took a brief halt in his speech to dig out a folded piece of paper from his bag. When he unfurled it, a paleness took over his features, lighting up his tan skin in a sickly manner. “Before you assume anything, please know that this was all Ymir’s doing. She got it from Historia when we were still doing research for our writs. And then I took it from her, because I couldn’t trust her with it.”

Armin took one look at the sheets, the organized boxes and information, the staple holding together the two pieces, and instantly curled it into a ball, crumpled and taut. Marco, taken aback by the sudden movement, watched with wide eyes as the Scorpio discarded the ball into his bag and leaned forward. His ocean blue eyes were glaring into him with distaste, a layer of disappointment that was so hurt and so irritated, it rippled throughout the entirety of the person he was sitting across from.

“Tell no one what you saw,” he murmured. “That wasn’t supposed to go to you or your cousin. And you make sure she doesn’t tell anyone else either.”

“Armin,” the Gemini began tentatively, as if he was afraid to speak, “you don’t have to act like this. My mom is an Aquarius. I’m not going t—”

“Did you hear what I said?” A pale hand reached over to grasp onto a freckled wrist, unyielding until he got what he wanted. “No one finds out about this.”

“O-okay, Armin, I-I-I’m not going to tell.”

“Good.”

“But…that still doesn’t put aside what I asked you here fo—”

“Forget it. I can’t help you anymore.” Armin stood without hesitation and headed for the exit swiftly, not looking back once, one hand grasping his bag’s strap.

“W, wait, Armin!” Marco chased after him, scrambling to keep up with the strides despite the height difference. “You wouldn’t leave me like this, would you? I-I really need your help!”

“Ask someone else.”

“No, you don’t—” He stumbled against a crack in the sidewalk, putting him behind a few steps. “Armin! You only know because it involves Eren!”

That stopped the blond in his tracks. He didn’t turn around, but he listened for the taller to continue. Part of him wanted to ignore him, to push him away until he was far enough that he couldn’t threaten his secret. He had spent his entire life keeping it hidden and preserved, out of sight from prying eyes, and now that could change with, at the very least, two more people knowing about it. At least with the Capricorns, he had been sure that it would remain a secret. But Armin knew that he had to hear him out, as much as he wanted to forget the afternoon had ever happened.

Soft footsteps laden with hesitance closed the distance between them. “I heard that you and Eren are on good terms. Whatever you two are…it makes it easier for me to talk to you about this, since I know you two don’t have any bad blood. And I really need you to help me out on this.”

Armin turned around at that. “Is it Eren you’re interested in?”

Marco bit the inside of his cheek and bowed his head. “No, it…it’s Jean.”

“How can I help you then?”

“W-well, don’t you know if they’re still dating?”

“That’s none of my business.”

“But I thought you two were—”

“Marco, I may be friendly with Eren, but whatever he does with Jean is none of my business.” Why did his heart squeeze at his words? “If they’re dating, or if they’re not, you should just ask them yourself.”

The shorter began to walk away once more, but the Gemini stopped him. “Jean emailed me, asking if we could hang out sometime. And I… I want to know if it would be okay to take a chance there.”

Armin remained quiet, his eyes downcast before he shrugged and connected with brown once again. “It’s whatever feels right to you, Marco. Just ask him yourself and see where it goes.”

Marco didn’t look very satisfied with that response, as told by his bowing head and the deepening frown on his features. It seemed so out of place and strange on the face of a person he knew was at his best when smiling or laughing. And yet he didn’t feel bad that he had caused that reaction. It was his fault, his responsibility, but he couldn’t find it in himself to regret it.

“Why did you bring up the paper?”

The dark-haired male was shaken out of his stupor, eyes wide, processing the question presented to him. “What paper?” When he didn’t receive a response, just a pointed deadpan stare, he hid his face with a slight turn and an embarrassed gulp. “Oh…w-well, it was Ymir’s idea, really. She said I could use it to get what I needed to kn—”

“Do you do everything she tells you?”

A quiet gasp, a straightened posture. “Wh-what?”

Armin sighed, closing his eyes for a brief second. “Next time, maybe you should go with what feels right to  _ you  _ and not what someone else suggests.”

And then he left Marco behind, this time without being pursued, his thoughts more jumbled than when they had initially met up. He didn’t want the reminder of the papers he would have to burn when he got home, or the sad look in those brown eyes that seemed to weigh down the rest of the atmosphere, or the teal eyes that shone with a strong passion that shook up his stomach and made him queasy.  _ This is nothing _ , he told himself.  _ I need to get something to eat. That’s it. That’s all it is… _

* * *

“Did you ever notice how one of the couples that went with Erwin was an Aquarius and Leo?”

Ymir was sprawled on the hood of her car, one arm holding her head up while the other draped across her stomach, when Reiner appeared with a teasing smirk. His presence caused a small scowl to appear on her face, though it was obvious from the way it was brought up with laughter mixed into her groan that she didn’t mean it.

“I was having a great night, and now I’m getting hit on by a gay man,” she joked. With the hand on her stomach, she patted the spot beside her for him to slide onto, which the blond happily did, dropping his backpack off on the curb in eyesight.

“Oh come on, it’s not that bad,” he assured with a small shove to her shoulder once he was settled.

“That’s what  _ you _ think, you lion.”

Reiner chuckled quietly, his smile easy and casual, but once it melted, it was revealed just how much was on his mind. The exasperated sigh that followed afterwards was even more evidence as to how much weight he was bearing on his shoulders. “Capricorns, man.”

Ymir snorted; “You too, huh?”

The Leo grimaced. “I thought it was obvious. At least to everyone else.”

“No, it is.” The Leo’s scoff caused a faint smile to appear on the Aquarian’s face, and she turned her head to look at him better. “You’re really smitten with him, huh?”

A nod, accompanied by a lopsided frown. “Yep.”

“And lemme guess—he’s been iffy with you lately.”

“Hit the nail right on the head.”

“Huh.” Ymir returned her gaze to the cloudy sky that stretched out over them. “You probably had a better chance than I did.”

Reiner shrugged; “You could say that, I guess. I mean, we made out on a table—”

The burst of cackles from the freckled female startled him out of his statement. “You had a  _ way _ better affair than I did, then! Damn, Lion!”

“It gets better,” he huffed. “The next chance I got to talk to him was when we got Levi’s journal.”

“Did you kiss?”

“No, but I swear we would have if the Arians hadn’t said anything.”

Ymir chuckled. “Yeah, fire signs are so lame, am I right?” The glare she received warranted another series of her rapid cackles.

“Alright then, how lucky did  _ you _ get?”

It took a moment for the brunette to calm down, but once she did, it was with an expression of faint reluctance and what had to have been embarrassment. “You really wanna know?” He nodded to confirm his request, but it only warranted a low sigh, accompanied by a frown. “Nothing. I just like her.”

“For her appearance?”

“No, dummy. I’m not  _ that _ shallow. She just… The way I’ve seen her act around others is so… I never got that, not from her, and…” She trailed off with a rough swallow, hoping the queasiness in her stomach would subside at the harsh recollections. 

Reiner shifted slightly, legs bent so that he could prop his feet on the hood of the car. “Have you ever thought about treating her normally? Like, without flirting or trying to impress her?”

Ymir paused to think about the questions, on the validity they held to her predicament. Of the times she had talked to Historia, she couldn’t name any time where they were pleasant to one another. And she understood that it was her fault, as she never gave the blonde a chance to see her as she was. There was always something to show off or flash or do, and it wasn’t what the Capricorn wanted. She was the type who was upfront and honest from the start, and expected the same in return from whomever she was addressing. And if they weren’t, she returned the attitude she received. Probably fair, but also hurtful to Ymir’s pride that she had never thought about talking normally to her. Maybe it was because she didn’t want Historia to see who she was, inside, past the snarky sneer and the jab of her elbow. It was Ymir’s talent to impress and capture a crowd, but that wasn’t what Historia wanted; she wanted honesty. The real question was: could the Aquarian give it to her?

The rumbling laugh beside her brought her back to reality. “I’ll take that as a ’no’, huh?”

“Pff,” she kicked his leg out from its perch, “shut up.”

“Don’t worry,” he chucked quietly, though it didn’t sound as amused or light as before. “We’re all in the same boat here: we wanna be happy and share that happiness with someone else.” His eyes wandered to the sky above, with a wistful yet pained smile. “Some of us just don’t realize who that person is yet.”

Ymir, as hesitant as it was, reached over and patted his hand firmly. His fingers entwined with hers before she could move away, and a squeeze reassured her of his intentions. They were both lost and confused souls, wandering for the person who made their hearts flutter and their guts lurch and their palms sweaty. And they were attached to the journey until the end.

* * *

“Historia?”

The Capricorn had been sitting on a bench, outside of the grad students’ office, when her name was called out down the hall. It had been three days since she had seen or heard from any of the revolutionaries (with the exception of Bertolt, of course). Not a word was shared between them regardless of the reason, which wasn’t very normal when considering Armin’s past correspondences. He always followed up after a meeting via email, and yet there was none to be found. Forgetting wasn’t an option either; it wasn’t who he was. There had to be a good explanation for it. 

Seeing Sasha in the hall, however, had certainly come as a surprise. Their areas of focus may have been in the same college, but they were different in every sense; theater and history were still separate departments. What really concerned Historia, however, was how quickly the Leo sat down and how open she was to talk to her. At least she had gloves on to hide the scarlet indent on her palm. 

“Sasha, hi,” the Cap offered as a greeting, succeeding in getting a smile on her face that she hoped was convincing enough. “How have you been?”

“Great, good,” she grinned, but Historia noticed the small falter, as if she had second-guessed herself. “It’s refreshing to have a few days off and not worry about all that research.”

Where was this going? As much as she liked Sasha, though it may have been because she had never had a reason to dislike her, they weren’t close—not to mention they were two extremely different signs with unfortunately noticeable tattoos. Why start talking to her now as if they were best friends?

“Hey, you wouldn’t have happened to have gotten an email from Armin, have you?” Sasha wondered, suddenly breaking her train of thought. 

It took a few moments of contemplation to realize what had been asked before the blonde shook her head. “Ah, no, not since I checked this morning. I was going to check again after I met with my advisor.”

“Ohh, how weird is that? I mean, Armin doesn’t usually wait this long to follow up with an email, does he?”

“No, bu—”

“Maybe he got caught?” The Leo gasped suddenly and gripped her arm tautly. “They found out, didn’t they?! We aren’t being careful enough!”

“Sasha…” Historia guided her hands back to her lap. “Do you not see a problem here?”

Sasha tilted her head out of curiosity at the abrupt question. “What do you mean? It’s just two friends talking.”

To call them “friends” was a bit of a stretch for the blonde. They barely knew one another aside from their names and signs; there was one time where Sasha had gotten her a coffee and made it well, and that was just a few days ago. She couldn’t see anything that solidified them into being friends. It wasn’t to say that Historia didn’t want to be her friend, since she certainly wouldn’t mind getting to know Sasha outside of their revolutionary actions. But the abrupt view that had been taken had shaken up that belief. 

With the slight pause and the hesitation she must have been sporting, Historia felt a gentle hand fall on top of hers. Sasha was staring at her in an apology, eyebrows drawn together and lower lip nibbled between her teeth. “I hope I didn’t make you uncomfortable—”

For some reason she couldn’t quite understand, the Capricorn shook her head and offered a smile. “No, you didn’t. I was just surprised, that’s all.” Maybe not an entire lie, but certainly not all of the truth.

Whatever she might end up calling it, it was enough to relax the Leo’s shoulders and bring out a reassured smile and sigh from her. “Good! I was really hoping I could get your help; it’s actually really convenient that I ran into you.”

_ I wouldn’t really call it that, but okay, Sasha.  _ “Is everything alright?”

“Oh yeah, everything’s great! I was just wondering if I could get some advice? You seem like you would know a lot about this, because you’re so…strong. I mean, you were born a different sign from your family, breaking years of tradition, and you carry on like…like a warrior!”

Historia, at her own views of her self-image, ignored the comparison to a warrior and the bile that rose in her throat in reaction. “What do you need, Sasha?”

Sasha nibbled on her lip before she began, “How could I ask Connie out? O-on a date?”

“Connie?” That was unexpected, and she could tell already she was revealing just how shocked she was. Though it wasn’t so much for the fact that she  _ liked _ her friend; he was likable for a number of reasons. What really got to her was that he was interested, in a similar manner at the very least, in Sasha. It was the first she had been presented with this and it hadn’t resulted in unrequited feelings.

“Yeah, Connie. Th-the Taurus.” The Leo shifted in her seat, twisting around to see if anyone else was around. “Look, I don’t wanna cause trouble, but I have a feeling about this and I really don’t want it to go away. You understand, right? About seeing an opportunity and just…going for it?”

Historia hesitated, if only because she wasn’t sure how to go about revealing Connie’s feelings for her. There was no way she was going to completely come out and reveal the conversation she had had with him a few days ago; that wasn’t the type of friend she was. But she couldn’t let their opportunity slip away so suddenly. It was now or never for them, and she preferred the former option. 

“All I can say is,” she decided, “is that you wouldn’t be wrong by asking him out.”

Sasha scoffed, her eyes wide and jaw dropped. “You think  _ that’s _ supposed to help me?!” The blonde only chuckled quietly, raising an unsatisfied frown as her reaction. “Is it a bad idea? Should I just give up on all of this?”

“If you give up, then why was it ever worth it in the first place?” Historia wondered. “Why would you go through the trouble of talking to him—and talking to  _ me _ , no less—if you’re only gonna drop it? You’d be wasting your time.”

“But I…” Sasha settled in her spot, lost and confused and dazed, just wanting answers and solutions. “I can’t make the same mistake.”

There wasn’t much of an explanation needed. She had seen the info of the court case before anyone and understood where she was coming from. The Capricorn reached over to grasp the Leo’s gloved hand, causing her to jump at the sudden contact. “Listen. If it feels right to you, and you want to give it a try, then go for it. You won’t know if you’ll be able to in the future, and it’s better to have tried than to be disappointed in yourself for never pursuing your happiness.”

It took her a small nod and an audible gulp, but she was able to manage a small tilt of her lips and embrace the blonde beside her. Historia hid a smile and returned it. “You’re so sweet, Tori, thank you.”

_ Historia _ . “You’re welcome, Sasha. I’m glad I could help.”

She moved away brimming with glee, but her expression turned grave in a snap. “I swear to you, I will not throw away my shot.”

“That’s good. Don’t throw it out—or give it away either. That’ll happen, too.”

“You know I won’t.”

_ Do I? _ The snarky comments may have never left her mouth as Sasha suddenly was off once more with a goodbye thrown over her shoulder, but they still existed. Historia was noticing it had become part of her routine since the night Connie accused her of having romantic feelings with a woman she refused to acknowledge. Perhaps if she didn’t try to impress her with a facade all the time, and took off the mask, they could have a chance. She wasn’t opposed to the idea of being with her. But this was already a serious commitment for her, and she wanted—needed—the Aquarian to understand that as well.

* * *

Running into someone in public was both a metaphorical and physical occurrence that had a difficult time of being avoided. When seeing people whose names are known well, or brushing shoulders with another, it’s all the same: unintentional, accidental, absolutely appalled for such an act. That was how it was for Bertolt when his arm crashed rather harshly into a woman’s shoulder. It sent both of them reeling, and he ended up stepping on her foot in the process, but his apologizing diminished when he recognized the individual he had bumped into. 

“Annie. Hi.”

The blonde had stumbled a bit but remained balanced on her feet despite the previous weight it had been under. When she looked up to see the familiar Capricorn standing over her, genuinely concerned for her wellbeing, she raised an eyebrow in question. “In a hurry?” She wondered. 

Bertolt tilted his head slightly at the question, but then shook his head. “No, ah…not really. I guess I just wasn’t looking where I was going.”

Annie nodded with a hum, glancing away before staring back at him. Even if her height was kept to a minimum, her eyes, piercing depths of cold cobalt, provided a balance that leveled out her intimidation. “You should keep an eye out for ladies like me. We can’t all be lumbering giants.”

A dry chuckle had the Cap staring at his feet bashfully. “I-I’ll try and remember that.”

They had almost been able to go their separate ways, awkward and sheepish, one more obvious than the other, but Bertolt stopped and turned back. He recalled Annie’s assistance a few days prior, when his fear of interacting with Reiner was overwhelming and he was too afraid to face him. She was there, whether she was aware or not, to fix that, and he was thankful for that. 

“Hey—Annie?” He chased after her, and succeeded in stopping her from getting very far. She gazed up at him, bored almost and nearly causing him to forget everything and bailing. But he pushed through, because it was the polite thing to do. “I wanna thank you for getting my mind off of things the other day. It really helped me out and…I’m happy that it was you who helped. So…,” he nodded, shuffled his feet, and smiled softly, “thanks.”

For a brief moment, Annie didn’t say anything. She stood with her arms crossed, looking up at the Cap with disinterest. A few seconds later, she revealed what had created her silence. “Are you two dating or something?”

Bertolt gave a surprised yelp at the suggestion, and his eyes widened. “Wh-what?”

The Arian looked unimpressed, pressing her weight on one side and rolling her eyes. “Are you and Reiner dating?”

“N, no, we’re not, why…” The taller stumbled for words, even tripped over his feet for a moment before he let out a breath in dry amusement. “I’m not interested in him at all.”

“Mm.” Annie nodded, and tried to walk away once more, but was stopped once again. 

“He didn’t say anything to you, did he?”

“Why would he?” She asked as she turned back around. The emerald pair of eyes shone with uncertainty in them, layered over hope and a silent wish for something positive. Annie nearly laughed at how desperate it all was. 

Bertolt glanced away, afraid to meet her eyes. “It’s just a question.”

She scoffed. “It’s just suspicious, if you ask me. Why would you care anyway? You just said you’re not interested, right?”

“Right. I don’t care.” This time, he sounded more certain, but the tremble remained in his voice.

“Good to hear.” Annie hesitated briefly, trying to decide on what was the best way to finally get him off of her shoulders. “Go after him, if it makes you happy. Reiner’s annoying, but he means well. Plus, it’s better to say that you tried, right?”

And with that, the Arian finally was able to get away without any further interruptions. She felt guilty, in a way, for leaving the male behind. Almost instantly, she attempted to evaporate the idea once she remembered who he was and how different they were. But what would have worked a few weeks ago was worthless—meaningless—now. Bertolt was a Capricorn, and he was not the best conversationalist, but she knew he still tried. If it had happened before the death of her parents, there would have been no mercy from her—just a diss and a glower that bore through him, and that’s if he had the guts to speak to her. It just went to show her, as much as she hated to admit it, how much she had changed. Whether it would last after they finished the paper, however, she wasn’t sure if she could say so or not.

And maybe, just maybe, her advice to him could work for her as well.

* * *

The next day, Armin sent out an email asking for help cleaning up a few things. Several books had to be returned to the library, and the empty conference room they had used needed to be cleared. If anyone wanted to work on their final draft one last time before it was put together, he told them when he would be able to give them out. Otherwise, they would meet one last time at a later date, to see the Writ of Division put together, and then it would be sent to the government.

Half of them asked if they would meet up again after they sent the writ. Armin never gave an answer. 

Both Ymir and Mikasa were unable to help out, and ruled themselves out, one more apologetic than the other. Marco asked if he could review his draft for a final time. Bertolt offered to clean the room; Reiner followed suit. Annie also opted out because of a study group she had for a test coming up. Jean was already going to be at the library that day for research, but said he would help if he could. Connie had to cancel because of a “prior commitment”, to which Sasha seconded and Historia admitted to being a part of. There were questions wondered, but no questions asked.

Eren was the last to respond: he was able to help return the books back with Armin, if he didn’t mind. No protest was given. 


	18. Ending Resistance to the Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The time has come to face the demons or let them take control. Only one side will win.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you make it through this chapter, I give you props because it is about 38 pages long in Docs lmaooo

_ The country atmosphere of the farmhouse’s decor was set aside for the arrival of the runaways, and replaced with rushing adrenaline and medical supplies. Mike, due to a bullet that had found its way into his arm as they trekked up the hill, was seated on the couch of the spacious living room. Henning and Gelgar pulled the dining room table over so that they could seat Petra and Eld on top and view their injuries better. Auruo had barely taken a step inside before his girlfriend was removed from his arms and Rene was carrying her over to the table, talking to her in hushed tones and reassuring her that everything was okay. There was a collection of medical supplies, first aid kits found in the kitchen and bathroom, for the bullet wound in Mike’s arm and the bite on Eld’s leg to be treated, Henning observing the former and Gelgar the latter. Auruo and Gunther, without anything to do, sat outside; Nanaba tried to see if the owners of the farmhouse, who weren’t around at the moment, had anything for them to drink. “Tea helps tension,” she had said.  _

_ Rene recalled a doctor located half a mile away (who thankfully recognized and knew her from a seminar she had taken and he had taught) and was able to find and bring him to Petra to survey her injuries. How she had been able to convince him, an Aries, to help her, a Cancer, was anyone’s guess. Either way, it hadn’t taken long to get there, although the redhead had passed out by the time they returned. Gelgar had already stopped the bleeding of her wound and covered it, and was waiting on Rene’s hopeful return. Eld, while Gelgar gathered what he needed, checked her pulse and breathing, absentmindedly brushing her hair out of her face. _

_ “Is she gonna be alright?” He asked. His bitten leg was stretched out in front of him, shoe and sock removed. _

_ Said doctor, an average-sized man with long hair and small circular glasses, observed the unconscious girl critically and carefully, his hands tender against her pale and fragile side. When he was done, he glanced over at Eld, but addressed the others in the room as well. “The bullet entered her side, at a strange angle,” he informed them. “If I were to guess, she tried to turn away or shield herself before she was hit. Of course, she was unlucky, but it doesn’t appear that any major organs are damaged. We can easily remove the bullet.” He gazed at her cautiously, as if she would stir any moment. “But she still needs better treatment than what you have here.” _

_ “Can you do it at your home?” Rene wondered. _

_ “I can’t risk moving her in case something does occur to the wound. But…” He grimaced slightly, and then nodded, more confident than when he had come in. “I can bring what I need to help her. My son is with me; if he can come along, that would be most helpful.” _

_ “Whatever helps her. Is there anything else that needs to be done?” _

_ The doctor briefly glanced over at Eld and Mike. “Help who you can until I return. I’ll need your assistance.” _

_ Rene nodded firmly. “Alright. Thanks, Doctor Jaeger.” _

_ And with that, the doctor was gone, just as Nanaba appeared from the kitchen and presented a platter covered with steaming mugs of tea to whoever was able to drink on their own. Her eyes trailed after the retreating figure. Before she could ask, the brunette was clarifying for her; “He’s coming back. He’s getting a few things and then he’s going to help Petra.” _

_ “Will she be alright by then?” The Virgo wondered with concern, setting the tray down on the coffee table.  _

_ “He says nothing major was hit, so…” _

_ “There’s nothing we can do until then,” Eld stated. “For now, we just— _ fuck _ , Gelgar.” He hissed and grasped at his thigh, eyeing the bite mark on the same leg. A cotton swab with rubbing alcohol had been placed against it, and he curled his fingers at the dabs. “Give a guy a warning next time you pull shit like that.” _

_ “Not now,” Gelgar grumbled under his breath as he picked up a sewing needle, sterilized earlier. “Maybe later.” _

_ The Aquarian scoffed and rolled his eyes, leaning back on the soles of his hands. He winced, speaking as if to distract himself from the stitches he was receiving. “Are all Virgos like this?” _

_ “Watch it,” Nanaba warned.  _

_ “Virgos are good people,” Rene shrugged, and offered a smile at said earth sign who looked up at her in shock. “You just gotta realize it on your own.” _

_ “Some longer than others,” Henning added, which only received a glare from the female Cancerian. He smirked back at her. “Don’t act like you never had doubts.” _

_ “She did it right in front of Nanaba,” Mike reminded them through clenched teeth. For the past few minutes, the wound in his bicep had been thoroughly cleaned and sterilized. Henning had began wrapping it with bandages; since he hadn’t been hit in a lethal area, it was a lesser risk to keep the bullet in and let the wound heal. _

_ Rene frowned at the teasing. “That was only one time.” _

_ “You never shut up about her afterwards,” Henning scoffed.  _

_ “I have that affect,” Nanaba shrugged.  _

_ More would have been said, to add to the rest of the conversation, but Eld’s grunts turned into unpleasant and periodic shouts, tied in with Henning’s soothing comfort and Gelgar’s harsher reassurance. The sounds were heard and recognized by the duo outside, who had been out on the deck uselessly since they had arrived. Gunther peeked inside the house out of curiosity, but turned away with a heavy frown. Seeing his partner in pain that he could do nothing to help was the last thing he wanted to witness. _

_ The Leo sat beside Auruo on the steps leading to the front porch, and looked over at the foliage they had come from. There were still a series of officers standing at the edge, some chatting with one another but most of them eyeing the farmhouse. The only thing separating the two sides was the chain link fence, dividing the forestry to the temporary residents of the park. _

_ “How long do you think they’ll stay there?” Gunther wondered with a nod in their general direction. The Capricorn glanced over that way; he maintained the same glossy-eyed stare he had had since Petra had been taken from his arms. _

_ “They won’t leave unless we’re with them,” he murmured. “Probably start shifts soon.” _

_ “What makes you say that?” _

_ Auruo focused his dazed stare on his friend. “Because Rene told them to wait for us.” _

_ Gunther gulped, eyeing them before averting his gaze. One of the officers seemed to have stared right at him. “We don’t know how long it’ll take for everyone to heal. Better yet, we don’t have a plan—” _

_ “Rene is with us. We can use her home for now.” _

_ “And what if he’s there?” _

_ The very mention of him, without an utterance of his name, had the Cap whipping around to face the taller. “Then we’ll deal with him.” _

_ The duo delved into silence, the sounds from inside dwindling to light, friendly chatter that was almost teasing. Auruo listened for her voice to suddenly break, or a cough, or even a breathless wheeze, anything to know that she was awake and at least consciously aware of what was going on. All sorts of possible outcomes brewed inside his head and filled to the brim; it removed all rational thinking from his brain. He was surprised his tongue had been able to form proper, audible words to Gunther. _

_ About five minutes later, Doctor Jaeger returned with gloves and a brunet boy with teal eyes, who grabbed a black bag from the front seat of their car and hurried beside his father into the house. He faltered outside of the front door, but his name was called, and he rushed to the doctor’s side. Gunther got back up again, leaning against the doorframe and watching the man work. Rene was beside him, standing above Petra’s head. The boy, Eren, kept close to his father. He couldn’t be any older than a teen; his eyes couldn’t seem to leave the wound in front of him. _

_ “Can you hold her down?” The doctor asked Rene, who hurriedly grasped Petra’s shoulders and pressed on them. “Eren, be prepared to clean up the blood, okay? Can you do that for me?” _

_ “You’re going to take it out?” Henning wondered, his voice nearly shrill and on what sounded to be the verge of panic. _

_ “It’s in her abdomen, which means there’s a higher risk of infection or more harm to be done. Rene, be prepared for some thrashing.” _

_ There was a brief moment of silence, and then Petra’s yells were suddenly shrieking to their ears. Auruo hopped to his feet instantly, but was held back by an arm on his shoulder. He and Gunther stood back and watched as the doctor retrieved the bullet and dropped it in a tin Henning had held for him. Doctor Jaeger, with some assistance from his son, halted the bleeding as best he could and inspected it once he was clear. Whatever news he gave through the redhead’s ragged pants and broken moans had to have been good, for an audible sigh of relief was let out by their allies. Eld must have heard it as well, for he looked over at Gunther and Auruo and smiled, clearly satisfied with the news. _

_ Doctor Jaeger inspected Mike and Eld before the latter’s wound could be dressed, and, impressed with the work of the medical trio, praised the work that had been done. He and the ones who were capable got to work cleaning up the areas. Auruo walked in soon after, cautious yet sure of the strides he was making. Eld had been talking to Petra in hushed tones, probably in reassurance, and smiled softly when he noticed their friend coming towards them. Whatever he said next had the redhead trying to sit up, only to be forced down by his hand. It hurried Auruo, however, and he was reaching out for her hand immediately. Her fingers entwined with his, and when she squeezed, dazed yet relieved, his worries dissipated from his mind. _

_ “Hey there,” he whispered to her, his mind scrambled at the sight of her awake and well, even if she was slightly out of it from pain medication. _

_ She laughed, quiet and airy, and his gut churned at how weak it sounded. Her face was still pale and beads of sweat pinned red strands to her forehead. “Your hair is going gray from all that worrying.” _

_ Auruo couldn’t hold back a grin, but the chuckle he let out was mostly restrained. “I don’t think that’s how it works.” _

_ He knew that Petra heard the hidden pain in his voice, for her free hand pressed against his cheek, and her expression morphed into a frown. “Oh Auruo. You worry too much for me.” _

_ “I think I’ve started worrying for the both of us.” _

_ “One less thing I have to do.” She smiled, and they shared a relieved laugh as he pecked her forehead and let her hands weakly drag through curly hair. _

_ “Tell that stone-faced idiot by the door to come inside already,” Eld snorted. “I’m tired of looking at him like that.” He must have been heard, for Gunther whipped around to face him, and the Aquarian waved him inside. _

_ Auruo stole a brief glimpse over his shoulder. “He’s been worried since you came in. I think he has a viable reason.” _

_ “Big words, Mister Big Shot Campus Man,” Petra joked with a light hum. _

_ Gunther grasped onto Eld’s shoulders in a tight embrace once he was close enough, and a heavy tension in his shoulders was suddenly released. “How are you feeling?” He wondered quietly.  _

_ Eld pulled back to show off a dazzling grin despite the weary weight it carried. “I’m great, Gun. I’m doing better.” _

_ The doctor’s son appeared beside them, handing Auruo a bundle of bandages. He took a single glance at his neck, where the light traces of a green tattoo still were, but didn’t say anything else. Instead, he turned to Gunther, who was being treated to a faceful of kisses and nuzzles. _

_ “What did you guys do to end up like this?” He asked, his voice shaky and uneasy, as if afraid of the answer he would receive. “Like, what went wrong?” _

_ The Leo had to gently nudge Eld aside, pausing as his shoulder and neck were now given the treatment, to look at the teal-eyed boy. “You haven’t figured it out already?” _

_ Petra was aware enough to peel down her sleeve and reveal the faded tattoo on her shoulder, and then nod to the hand intertwined with Auruo’s. “Some people think love discriminates between people,” she stated in a murmur, eyes slowly shutting, “but it really doesn’t.” With one final smile at the Capricorn, she slipped into an easy slumber, sighing in relief. _

_ The doctor and his son left soon after to numerous amounts of thanks and well wishes. He must have noticed the failed attempts at removing the colorful insignias, for Doctor Jaeger gave them his contact info and instructed them to call if they ever needed help ridding themselves of the offensives. His speciality was helping those suffering from illegal brandings, and he had recently discovered a special type of serum that could remove the tattoos easily. They were styled and performed in a way different than any other tattoo, meant to stay on for life, but he had been performing multiple tests and going through pages of research to find a way around it. His suggestion was not lost on them nor their memories. There would be a day, a year later, where they would visit him and he would remove their tattoos. But that was for another day. _

_ Three hours later, with the Jaegers gone and the nine refugees cared for with food or drink, it was revealed by Rene that they could leave in three days’ time. Their injuries would be stable enough for mobility by then, but it meant they would end up at Rene’s house, their original plan. They were trapped in a world that did not allow them escape, and it only meant that more misfortune would befall them in time. _

 

Chapter 18: Ending Resistance to the Heart

 

“Well you look nice.”

Ymir was sprawled out on the couch, stuffing her face with a bag of Cheetos and watching television, when Mikasa came out of her room, dressed in a black dress with her hair and makeup done nicely. What drew her attention to her roommate was the fact that the red scarf she normally wore around her neck was not present, though there was a scarlet headband in her head as a replacement.

Mikasa grabbed her bag, rummaging through it and checking for necessities. “Annie invited me over to her house for dinner and a movie.”

Shocked, the brunette hopped up from her slouched spot, tiny splotches of orange crumbs around her mouth. “I thought you were doing that tomorrow!”

“Can’t do it then.”

“Wh—Mika!” The shorter headed for the door without another word, but Ymir scrambled off the back of the couch and to the floor, her socks causing her to slide and nearly collide with her roommate. The freckled female pressed her back against the door defiantly once she was able to steady herself on two feet. “There’s so much trash TV to watch tonight. Can’t you reschedule?”

Mikasa blinked at her, as if trying to process the obstacle that had been thrown her way, and then she shook her head. “Not for her.”

“Wha—” Her answer enabled enough weakness for Ymir to be nudged to the side without any hesitation. “What am I supposed to do while you’re gone?”

“I don’t know.” Mikasa opened the door, but paused to gaze back at her roommate, steel eyes firm. “Play with Melvin. Or do something with the Capricorn.”

“Who, the one that hates my guts?” No answer, and Ymir stepped out to glower at the retreating figure. “I’m not gonna get anywhere with that, you know!”

* * *

“Plates, napkins, utensils—anything else?”

“Cups?”

“Cups! Right here!”

“Oh God,” Connie slouched against the wall, a frown creasing his forehead, “I’m going to lose my mind.”

Historia had been over since she had gotten out of class four hours ago, two hours before Connie was, giving her enough time to clean his house well and make it meticulously spotless. Just as Jean had suggested, Connie found and sent a message to Sasha’s email in hopes of reaching contact with her. The response was almost instantaneous, and they eagerly scheduled a date that worked for both of them. And when the Capricorn found out, she couldn’t help but include herself in preparation. But now, as they checked everything they had prepared, the Taurean was starting to crack under the stress and pressure, and his calm demeanor was shattered, only to be replaced by a ball of unwanted feelings. 

Thankfully, Historia had the strength, and the responsibility as his good friend, to rip his hands away from his cleanly-shaven head and hold them. “It’s going to be fine,” she assured him. “You don’t have to worry so much.”

“This is the first time I’ve invited a girl to my house besides you,” he frowned. “How do I not worry?”

“Hannah’s been over before, right?”

“She doesn’t count, she was cheating on me.”

“Oh yeah. You didn’t break up with her for three more weeks after you found out, though, so who’s really to blame?”

“Tori—”

Historia grinned and laughed quietly under her breath, but then straightened him up almost immediately once he slouched against her. “Oh no you’re not. You just ironed that.”

“Actually, I just threw it in the dryer for ten minutes.”

“Seriously?”

“Yeah. I lost the flat iron.”

The Capricorn sighed and straightened up the hem of his shirt. “Well, whatever works for you. Just remember that it’s supposed to feel weird. And if something goes wrong, that’s okay!”

Connie figured, as he adjusted the end of the tablecloth and gently put the miniature centerpiece in the middle, that if anyone was to be right in their advice, it was Historia. She genuinely cared for him as a friend and not because she was obligated to like distant family members often believed. Her smiles and her words triggered a faint reassurance in his heart that things would be alright in the end. There wasn’t anything that could stop him but himself, that much he knew. After all, it was one of the first things he learned from his Capricorn friend.

About five minutes later, there was a knock at the door, and Historia’s expression lit up in joy. With a confident saunter he knew all too well, she opened the door and greeted the woman standing there. “Hello, Sasha!” She stepped aside to let her inside. “It’s so good to see you!”

Seeing Sasha, in a light crimson dress that danced above her knees, the bodice a see-through cream that reminded him of spiderwebs, felt more than a little strange, after their last interaction had been her snapping at him and shoving him away. There was no telling how she would act now, if she was still hostile, if she even wanted to be around him and was simply taking his invitation to mock him. Connie couldn’t help but ask himself, nervously waving at the brunette and receiving a wave back, if he had made the right decision.

The Leo stepped inside, over the threshold, when she smiled and held out a bouquet of flowers, previously hidden behind her back. If her hands quivered, matching his as he took them with a thanks and a plan to center them on the table, he didn’t notice. He was too busy clawing at the surface to avoid falling prey to her smile, small yet shy and brimming with positive expectation.

She was going to be the death of him. He didn’t even notice Historia sneaking out the door.

* * *

Reiner had found out Bertolt was working with him in the library when Armin sent them both an email asking them to be at the conference room in the old A&S building at a certain time. And when he saw his name aside his at the top of the email, he let his heart swim in the twinges of pain it had come to know so well. Bertolt was someone he truly liked, and it wasn’t just for sex (though he was sure that would be a good, even great, addition). He wanted to take the Capricorn by the hand and lead him through his world, show him things he had never seen, things he was used to, enjoying the company the Leo provided. It was hard to remind himself that it was all wishful thinking, and they were going to clean a room, not court one another.

“This is your chance!” Sasha had said as they walked out of their apartment, both prepared to go forward to a person they felt so much for. “Now you don’t have to ask him yourself!”

He wanted to look at it like that, but there was a tugging force that refrained from delving into that thought. It felt unnecessary, wrong even, especially considering Bertolt’s last words to him were unlike the intimate moments they had shared. They had been more dismissive than anything, as if he was a bother that had to go away.

And so it was that Reiner found himself leaning against the wall opposite from the door and opposite from Bertolt, the person he wanted to talk to but had decided to not acknowledge for now. It was hard until he reminded himself that the taller was taking just as much precaution to keep his back towards him so that they didn’t have to even see each other, but at least he had the decency to be discreet about it.

“Why aren’t you looking at me?”

Bertolt looked up immediately, shocking Reiner momentarily from how fast he reacted. At least he was able to address it. Forest green eyes stared at him as if he was hearing him talk for the first time. “Wh-what?”

Reiner straightened up against the wall. The voice that had come out in response to him was nothing more than a murmur, an unsure gasp that had all defensive walls up for protection. It wasn’t much of a surprise, however: the last time they had talked was awkward, tense with something unsaid. The Leo smirked at him. “You haven’t looked at me since I got here.”

The taller frowned and sighed in exasperation. “Sorry. I’m not an extrovert.”

Armin appeared then, fiddling with a tangle of keys in his grasp and breaking the attempt at conversation from going any further. “Sorry I’m late, I got caught up in something,” he hurriedly apologized, shoving a key in the lock and unlocking the door. “There wasn’t too much of a mess left behind when we were here last, but it’s still sloppy.”

Reiner turned to the Scorpio, his shoulder brushing against Bertolt’s as he moved closer as well. Although it was intentional, the dark-haired male flinched at the contact and his gaze darted downwards immediately. “Why are we doing this now?” The Leo asked as he peeked through the door to the room before them. “We’re gonna be back in here a few days from now, aren’t we?”

“It’ll be easier to get it out of the way now,” he clarified with a nod to the room. “The more evidence we can clear that says we were in here, the better.”

Most of the mess came from crumpled balls of paper, but there was still a bag of garbage that had to be removed, and there were pencils and pens scattered about. Not to mention there were remnants of their DNA, in some way or another, that they had been there. It was excessive to say that anything from hair to nails to fingerprints had to be cleared, but it was better to be cautious in extreme detail than to regret behind bars.

“Well then.” Reiner smirked and patted Armin and Bertolt on the shoulder before he sauntered into the room. “Let’s get started.”

* * *

“So after he finished tearing my case apart and finally shut up, I pointed out the one thing he did wrong that destroyed his entire defense.”

“And what’s that?”

“He got the dates wrong. They were all off by one day.”

“Oh, come on!”

“I know! It’s like the guy forgot we were in grad school.”

Jean and Eren had paired up for a friendly lunch before heading to the library. They were going for different reasons, though Eren knew that there was more to Jean’s side than he was letting on. They had come to the conclusion that sleeping in the same bed together, temporarily, wasn’t as bad as they thought, as long as they ignored the obvious. Annie had had more mocking disapproval than either of them had to say on it.

“At least you tore apart his defense,” Jean snorted. “The idiot’s been tripping over his own two feet for a semester.”

Eren took a sip of his coffee with a wide smile. “You should have seen Natalie when she went up against Branson. She almost ripped him a new one.”

“A woman overpowering and conquering a man in something that’s considered masculine work? My favorite cup of tea.”

“And you don’t even like tea.” The duo shared a smile, though Eren slowed to a stop, standing outside of the library’s automatic door. Jean stopped and gazed back at him, a curious furrow to his brow.

“You alright?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just thinking.”

“That’s a little dangerous for you.”

The shorter chuckled quietly. “This whole non-dating thing just feels right. Like it’s okay for us to be friends. Y’know what I mean?”

“I guess.” Jean shifted his shoulder to adjust the weight of his bag. “It feels like the only thing that’s changed is that we’re not romantic.”

“Yeah—I mean, we even sleep in the same bed.”

With a roll of his eyes, though a smile to his face, Jean shoved his ex, nearly sending him against the door. “Go to your appointment, loser.”

“I will, horseface.”

“Suck it, J ägermeister.”

“That was one frat party, and I passed that exam with an A!”

“In a handmade hula skirt!”

“I  _ know _ !”

* * *

Marco had gone over the final draft of his contribution to the Writ of Division multiple times, rereading his paragraph, rewriting other versions and trying to see if they were better. It seemed too long and wordy, especially after he caught a glimpse of the other paragraphs. There were other long ones (like the piece on tattoos and brandings that made his back flame and his stomach churn), but because it wasn’t his, it wasn’t something he had to worry about. Instead, he worried his piece would be seen as too much; shortening it was the best option he had. But even that didn’t seem like much when, while packing up and preparing to leave the study room, having finally satisfied his rewording, he overheard a group of three guys greeting a voice he hadn’t been able to clear from his head since he had first heard it.

“Hey, I haven’t seen you asswipes in a long time.”

His tone was light, and his words were crude, but there was no mistaking Jean’s voice from filtering out the rest of the sounds around him. Unlike previous times, however, it was accompanied by a searing location on his back, right under his right shoulder, that reminded him of the sensation of a slap on the back. There was no way Jean could know, not without someone telling him or him looking further into the event mentioned in the articles given to Connie just a few days prior. Marco couldn’t tell which was scarier. 

It didn’t matter, anyway: Jean was an Aries. Even with a Gemini’s branding easily hidden beneath clothing, they weren’t safe from interacting, and they never would be. Besides, why would they in the first place? Because there were two times where he had complimented the amber-eyed historian? Because they both had a love for history that only they could understand? Because when he offered his assistance and sat down to work with him a few days ago, their hands had brushed together and there was a flustered redness to Jean’s face that could only be read as embarrassment with hidden intimate feelings?

There was no telling what it was that day, when he asked for Marco’s help and Marco gave it to him without any hesitation. But there was a tension there that was not going to go away, and it was not out of spite. It was something deeper, something unsolved, something he couldn’t remember feeling with anyone, a level of intimacy he could just barely understand. He had yet to decide if it was good or bad.

The Gemini tried to keep his gaze down as he packed his things, but he was unable to stay away from the sudden glimpse of amber gold catching him mid-escape. Marco let out a sigh as their eyes flickered away, and Jean attempted to slip out of his friends’ grasp. And once he did, he made a turn into one of the many rows of bookcases, and was out of sight in a matter of seconds.

Marco wanted to go, but he stayed put. Something inside him still hoped that their paths would cross so that he could enjoy that voice for himself, saying his name and smiling secretly for him.

* * *

“Interested in law?”

The hand had landed on top of his shoulder without a moment of hesitation following the question, and Armin resisted the urge to jump at the sudden contact. He was hoping that he could have gotten there before Eren did so he could get everything sorted out, but at least now it was easier on him. There was work for both of them to do. 

The blond rotated as best he could and smiled in greeting. “Good to see you, Eren.”

Eren returned the grin and backed off a few steps so he and Armin could walk into the law students’ section of the library. “Refreshed and ready to get back into it.”

Armin’s expression only faltered slightly from a grimace. “I hate to say it, but we don’t actually need to meet up anymore. We’re done.”

He shrugged; “I don’t think so. I mean, it’s not like it’s  _ completely _ over for us, right?”

As much as he wished that he could, Armin knew he couldn’t answer, whether to prove for or against it. There was no telling what the future held for their relationships outside of their sign. For Eren, there was little to worry about; about half of their forces were fire signs. And Armin had no one to relate to, not even the two Capricorns he had confided in for so long.

“So,” the Scorpio changed the subject with little hesitation, and nodded to the bag in his hands, “how many books can you carry to the cart over there?”

Although the pair of shockingly teal eyes revealed the disappointment in getting no response to his statement, a daring smirk danced on his lips. Eren took half of the stack and winked at him, playful and teasing. “Why don’t you watch and see?”

_ That was nothing _ , Armin reminded himself as Eren left him behind with a flushing complexion and scuffling feet.  _ It was nothing but a teasing jibe. Don’t take it as interest. _

But even he knew that saying it and believing it were two different concepts, and too different for anyone to follow at the same time.

* * *

When Annie asked to meet with Mikasa on a date, at her house, for dinner and a movie, she couldn’t help but worry about the denial she could receive. They had already had an unexpected and unplanned lunch date once that had gone smoothly, and then had spent a good portion of an afternoon together when researching for the Writ of Division. However, when disregarding those facts, she came up with no other reason for why the Aquarian would want to come over. There was little she knew about her, and vice-versa. But it didn’t stop the hope from swelling inside her chest, and the excited churn of her stomach when Mikasa gave a confirmation.

Annie busied herself by cleaning and tidying up every single space of her apartment. An album from the record player that had once belonged to her parents but had been preserved in a storage unit for her tangled through the air and eased her into an easy rhythm. Her corgi Chloe followed her every step of the way, sometimes watching from her perch on the couch or the bed. The dog was her last connection of home, to a time where her parents were trying to be courteous for her sake. She had been spared, thankfully taken to college with her because her owner couldn’t bear the thought of leaving her behind again. Annie was happy that she had been spared: just like everything else, the pet had been hers.

Annie hopped into the shower and quickly cleaned off the remnants of sweat and dust on her person. She tried not to notice how she stared at her right wrist, bared with the Aries insignia, and wished for it to rush off in the same running rivers that rolled off her skin, so that she didn’t have to hide from anyone or anything. She hopped out to a fogged mirror that had her swearing under her breath and only giving herself a rough towel-dry of her hair and a few brushes through it. The Arian ignored how much time she put into choosing an outfit, and proceeded to put some finishing touches to her apartment and not let her mind wander too far.

When the knock came to her door, she couldn’t tell who jumped in place more: her, or the corgi.

Gently nudging her pet out of the way, Annie opened the door cautiously to find Mikasa standing on the other side, some of her hair held back by a headband and showing off the skin seemingly made of porcelain, the sharp pair of thunderstorm grey eyes enchanting and clear. Annie’s stomach churned and she bit back the urge to wander down those rosy pair of thin lips to her bare neck, only obstructed by the black dress she wore under her coat.

“Hi,” Mikasa offered a small smile, and held out a bottle of wine clutched tightly at the neck. “I bought us something to drink.”

Annie shook herself out of her stupor and stepped aside, taking the bottle with her. She recognized the label and smiled internally as she shut the door behind her. “How did you know?”

“Eren told me.” The Aquarian stooped down and patted the Corgi before the dog was leaning on her knees and grinning at her for more rubs to her head. “He told me the only way to impress you was through your favorite wine.”

Of course. Annie drank selectively, both in drink and type. Jean and Eren never got her choice right, and the people she had tried to date followed suit. Even if she had gotten help, she was glad Mikasa had made the effort to impress her beforehand. She sauntered into the kitchen with a hidden smile, placing the bottle on the counter, and forced herself to look busy. “That’s smart of you both. You two talked?”

“Not for long. He wanted to tell me something about a shared past we have.”

There was a slight falter as the Arian recalled what Eren had revealed to her a few weeks ago, what she had kept silent about since then as mere afterthought. “It was about your families.”

Mikasa didn’t answer, instead placing a hand over Annie’s that startled the blonde. The taller female pressed against her back, a light presence that she strained to feel more of. The room suddenly became very small and very hot, and she had to chomp on her lower lip. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go—not this fast, not this sudden— _ please stop breathing against my ear like that _ —

“I’ll get the wine and meet you at the couch. We can talk there.”

Her words pressed against her ear in hot puffs, and Annie shivered before pulling herself away. It took all she had to restrain herself and not focus on how much she wanted this woman. “I have crackers and cheese we can eat.”

“That’s perfect.” And like a breath of air on a summer afternoon, Mikasa backed off, talking gently to the corgi on the sofa. Annie grasped either knob of the cabinet doors and sighed under her breath, forcing her breathing back to a steady level before she gathered glasses and snacks and headed to the couch. If she could make it through this without tripping, she would be alright.

* * *

It only took three minutes of Ymir’s self-brooding before she was hopping to her feet and getting dressed. Mikasa had always been the more rational one of the two, and she was right about a lot of things: what restaurant was better to eat at, the best alcohol to drink after a nasty breakup, that one incident involving her hair dryer, a Pomeranian, and a half-baked pecan pie. But now, with her roommate out on a date, with an Aries no less, Ymir found herself wanting to make her proud. They were adopted siblings first, but it meant more to her than she liked to admit. The decision making was always up to Mikasa, and the freckled Aquarian decided that now would be the day where that stopped. She was going to choose what happened to her, even if it killed her.

So, with her hands still dusty from Cheetos and her hair not even pulled back in its usual ponytail, Ymir stumbled out of the apartment and down two flights of stairs to her car. She almost considered going out to bring something with her—flowers, or a snack, or a drink even—but she knew that it wasn’t right. It had to be real.

* * *

As soon as Armin had left, Bertolt closing and locking the door after him, he and Reiner got to quickly redoing the room. They kept to opposite sides, cleaning the similar remains of stations and rearranging the room to appear nicer than it was. Bertolt never looked over his shoulder to see what he was doing, though he knew that it would only distract him, which was the last thing he wanted and needed. All he had to do was clean his side of the room and leave, and that would be the end of it. The twinge in his heart at the thought of leaving Reiner behind was just a reflex.

Though he really had no reason to hide, when he thought about it. The only reason why he was avoiding looking or talking to him was because he didn’t want to face the feelings he had been burrowing underneath for weeks now. From the very start, Reiner had done nothing wrong to him, even when they had explored the very tabletop they were skirting around, similar to the Capricorn’s own dancing around the elephant in the room.

Bertolt gathered up the ends to the bag of paper balls he had and tied them off before tossing them at the foot of the stairs. He was almost back to his side of the room when he was halted from going any further by a deep rumble of a voice.

“Hey, do you wanna throw everything out after we’re done or take shifts?”

His gut churned as he was forced to turn and look at the male before him. Reiner gazed at him with pure innocence, a question he was genuinely interested in, but also with the lingering remains of restraint that came from the conflict they refused to talk about. “We can do it when we finish,” he responded. “It’s easier to do it that way.”

The Leo nodded in understanding. “Cool.” He hesitated at the statement he released, and there was a flicker in hazel eyes that caused him to shake his head. Bertolt was too afraid to look away. “Actually, no, it’s not.”

He gulped audibly as Reiner stepped forward so that they were chest to chest. Even with the three inches of height he had on him, the blond presented himself as if he was the taller, more dominant, one in the room. “Wh-what do you mean?”

“You know what I mean,” he frowned. “It’s obvious.”

“No, it’s really n—”

“You haven’t looked at me since we got into the room. Even when we were waiting for Armin, you couldn’t stand to face me. And I know I didn’t do a damn thing to get that shit from you. So whatever grudge you’re holding over me, let it go, and let me near you, because I don’t want to watch every single thing I’m doing just so I can make you comfortable over something that I don’t even know I did. Or, if you wanna be an adult, you can let me in on what’s going on in your head so I can at least try and do something about it.”

Bertolt lowered his gaze, but a hand on his chin was lifting his stare up to meet burning hazel once again. Reiner was determined to get a response out of him, and he was going to be relentless until he achieved it. He could see it in his eyes, in the stone-cold expression that threatened retaliation if he wasn’t given the respect he was reaching for. There was no point in trying to hide anymore, especially now that he knew the act was transparent to him.

“Alright,” Bertolt whispered quietly with a shaky nod, and stood a bit straighter. Slumping in defeat wasn’t going to validate his point. “I’m alright now.”

A familiar grin popped up at the confirmation, and he patted his shoulder as he passed. “Good. So you wouldn’t mind helping me out then, right?”

“No, I…” He had to pause to take a breath, and forced a friendly smile. “I wouldn’t mind at all.”

* * *

Sasha was relieved that Connie was just as anxious as her, gesturing to the rooms of his apartment hurriedly and wringing his hands when they weren’t waving around. First dates, if this could be considered one, were always nerve-wracking to a point, and in her experience, there was a disaster waiting to happen at every corner. Reiner had tried to sort out her nerves, to shoo away her worries with a cup of tea and a few jokes, but they only came back once she knocked on the door. The flowers had done something to her confidence, but whatever it did was now lost. 

“S-so, uhh,” Connie jabbed a thumb over his shoulder at the kitchen, leading her to the living room, “I got some spaghetti waiting on the stove if you wanna eat now?”

“Sure!” She nodded as she anxiously twisted her hands behind her back. “I don’t mind at all.”

His face split into a grin. “Great! I’ll go get our plates, you just…” He looked around before he handed her a glass of soda. “Drink up! It’s Dr. Pepper, aka the best thing ever.”

“I love Dr. Pepper!” The words were out before she could hold them back, and she tried to hide her embarrassment past a tentative sip. “Sorry, I just got really excited there.”

“It’s cool, you’re cool. M-meaning it’s alright, because that’d be weird to say on a first date and we haven’t even been talking for that lo—” Connie froze, hazel eyes wide, and Sasha found her stomach unraveling at the label. At least she wasn’t the only one who viewed it as such. Though what did it mean for his views on her?

The Taurean scrambled to correct himself, stammering and stumbling, but Sasha, with a soft smile and a gentle laugh, cleared away the rush. “I like calling it a date.”

Connie looked like he could kiss her—an idea she wasn’t opposed to—and then hopped in place. “Pasta! Plates! Over—there!”

He hurried back in the kitchen to the sound of her laughter, and the reassurance that this would be okay. 

* * *

It was impossible. Jean couldn’t find any of the books he wanted to check out. He knew he was in the right section by now, and he knew the call numbers taped onto the spine were valid, but he couldn’t bring himself to identify them. He was too distracted with the person he had nearly ran into across the room than the sign of said person he wanted to investigate. It had been present in his mind since he had sent him an email asking him on what was basically a date. But he had never gotten a response from Marco. And now here he was, within a handful of feet near him, and his eyes exhibited the rejection that Jean felt pang inside his chest.

The third or fourth run over a book’s title, one about the relations of Geminis and air signs or something irrelevant, was the final straw for him. Jean shoved it back on the shelf and walked out of the aisle. A look to his right revealed that Marco hadn’t moved much from his previous position, his head bowed as he stared at the screen of his phone with a furrowed brow. The Arian must have had too-loud movements, for the Gemini glanced over at him and blanched instantly. Jean didn’t bother thinking about it for long; he strode over there with a few steps and plopped down across from him, tossing his bag in the chair beside him.

“Hey.”

Jean’s voice was a nervous tremble, an unwanted sign of worry that he possessed. He cursed internally at the sound of it, and the flinch it caused as well. Marco, in return, showed off a smile that was obviously fake and obviously pained.

“Hi,” he replied back in a breathy sigh. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”

“I came by to pick up a few things,” he shrugged, and nodded to the book bag across from him. “You finishing some work?”

“Oh, yeah, for our project.” The project: a simple codename for the Writ of Division. “I…wasn’t really satisfied with mine.”

“Ah.” His nails curled against his palm, sharp and biting. “So you’ve been busy doing that.”

Marco must have seen the direction the conversation was steering in, for he sighed and bowed his head, breaking eye contact for a brief moment. “If this is about the email you sent me, I’m really sorry—”

“You don’t have to apologize.” Jean forced the words out, hoping he didn’t sound as bitter as he felt. “Just—if you weren’t interested, that’s all you had to say. It’s better than nothing, y’know?”

“Oh.” The dark-haired male settled against his chest, shoulders slumped. He looked disappointed, upset almost—and he still hadn’t given a valid reason for it. “W-well…I’ll be sure to remember that for next ti—”

“Why do you look upset?”

Blinking rapidly, Marco shot up in his chair. His eyes flickered with different specks of brown like a chestnut-colored robin’s egg, and only intensified in displaying the emotion in question. “I’m not…” Jean’s glare must have made him reconsider his wording, for he gulped and restarted. “I want something…from this, or what, I don’t know. But I hate that I can’t have you when I’m really interested in you.” The Gemini fiddled with his hands, his eyes raising to gaze into amber with the most sincerity Jean had seen from him yet. “That’s why I didn’t reply to your email, Jean. Because I want what I can’t have, and it  _ hurts _ . I-it’s like every fiber in my body is screaming for you a-and it doesn’t understand that you’re not m-made for me.” Only then did Marco lower his head, breaking eye contact to squeeze his eyes shut and hiccup under his breath. “B-but if it’s not ever going there, I-I don’t want anything to do wi—”

Jean had enough of the rambling speech once the tears had showed. That was far from what he wanted to see, especially coming from Marco, who had done no wrong to deserve those feelings. It made his own cold heart shrivel at the sight of his bent form, the sounds of a breaking voice, and he was surging forward before he could recall his actions. Jean’s lips smashed against the unsuspecting with a bruising force, hands clasping either side of his face. Beneath him, the rest of Marco’s words were swallowed and preceded the gasps of shock that were brought in harshly. Jean pulled away shortly after, much to his chagrin and the Gemini’s trembling hands that had wound into the sleeves of his jacket.

“That,” the amber-eyed male said, and he reached up to clear a track of tears off a freckled cheek, “is because you missed the first time.”

Marco was tugging him around the table before he had time to react, and although nails dug through his jacket into his skin, he understood it all too well. Jean shifted so that he could easily seat himself on Marco’s lap, and he entwined his hands around his neck to hold him close, twirling his fingers against the hair at the nape. If this was fake, and it was all a ruse of his mind to please him, then he hoped it would never end. Because now, the thought of having any pair of lips that weren’t accompanied by tan hands ornate with freckles grabbing his hips was something he didn’t want to experience ever again.

* * *

In a similar situation, though not entirely parallel, Eren tried not to focus on the blond Scorpio walking within a few feet of distance from him, hair pulled back and showing off the bright ocean blue eyes he had never noticed in such detail before. They had finished their return of the basic books, a few dictionaries just for easy reference when using their phones was too risky, and had started to return the law books to the right shelf. They weren’t required for checkout, but a sign-in sheet kept record of what was in and out. Even as he signed them back in, Eren nearly screwed up the date he was writing on the clipboard at the end of the bookcase.

He and Armin reorganized their collection correctly before reshelving them, which failed to take too long between the two of them. Even then, as they finished up and had to split so they could return their own individual books at two separate stations, Eren couldn’t keep himself away. For Armin, there must have been nothing strange occurring, perhaps because there was nothing to compare it to. And the thought of that only made him irritated. 

He knew it was wrong, and he knew how much he could have reacted differently. But thoughts like those were nothing when he was walking towards him again, and he was tugging them away, to a secluded part of the library where no one would be bothered or suspicious, and he was drowning in the blue of the ocean.

* * *

Historia had just returned to her apartment, relaxing in sweats and one of Bertolt’s old t-shirts, and hadn’t been relaxed for a minute before there was a knock at the door. As far as she knew, she wasn’t expecting anyone to show up, with both of her closest friends busy with other things. They wouldn’t be back for hours (she didn’t even expect to hear from Connie until the morning). So when she got up and answered the door, she was not expecting a disheveled-looking Aquarian with her hair draped across her shoulders and her clothes in shambles. Ymir was leaning against the doorframe when she was face-to-face with the blonde, but she could only gawk at the woman in front of her.

The Capricorn, unamused yet genuinely surprised to see her standing there, crossed her arms in front of her chest and waited. When no answer was given, only a glazed stare to a silent demand, Historia rolled her eyes. “Can I help you?”

Speaking seemed to bring Ymir out of her gawking, for she jumped in place and straightened up immediately. “Uhh, yeah! I, ah, wanted to talk to you. About things.”

“Why?”

The brunette shifted uncomfortably, gripping the doorframe with fingers partially dusted in an unusual orange tint. “Just because. I don’t really want my chance to go to waste.”

Historia would have shut the door on her if it weren’t for the leveled stare, beneath the grunginess of her guest, that revealed this was all a first for the taller. This wasn’t the Ymir who wanted to joke around and tease. This was someone who wanted to sit down and have a serious conversation with her. And as much as she wanted to refuse the Aquarian, to turn her away and make her promise to never return (how did she even find her apartment?), this was what she had wanted from her. Why shove her away when she was finally giving her what she wanted?

Accepting her fate and her decision, she stepped aside for the freckled female to enter. “Come in.”

* * *

“This movie is a piece of shit.”

They were only twenty minutes into the movie when Mikasa started to notice little things about Annie that were starting to make her head swim. For one, the blonde hair that wasn’t styled away from her face like usual was definitely something new yet appreciated. There was something different in how she moved, like every single movement was being calculated and reviewed in her head before she did it. And every time their eyes met, whether one of them was speaking or had done something to evoke a reaction, Mikasa found herself locked onto an ice blue stare that she didn’t mind the chill down her spine that came along with it.

“It has an empty plot,” Mikasa stated. “You can tell what’s going to happen before the movie ends.”

Annie pointed to one of the characters on the screen. “He is going to fall in love with her, even though he knows he ‘can’t’ because she’s a business exec’s daughter, and he’s ashamed of his middle-class family.”

“He’s basically a piece of trash for judging by social status.”

“Mhm. She deserves someone better.”

The Aquarian smirked past her wine glass. “I didn’t take you for a chick flick kind of person.”

From beside her, Annie gulped, glancing over at the dark-haired female cautiously. “They can be good, from time to time. When they’re not displaying the woman as some hopeless romantic who needs to have a man to be happy.”

Mikasa shrugged, and leaned over so that their shoulders touched. The shift was on purpose, but the tightening of a hand into a skirt brought an excited mixture of tension and desire in her belly. “I like the ones where the woman realizes she likes another woman more than she ever liked men, because she spent too much time lying to herself about who she was.”

“Oh yeah?” The Arian sat up and shut the distance between them even more. Their lips were closer now, but not as close as she would have liked. Mikasa restrained herself from pulling her into her lap. “It sounds interesting.”

“It’s based on a true story.” The Aquarian bit her lower lip, and she noticed how the blonde watched her critically. “About me.”

“Mm.” Annie grasped onto her arm so she could situate her legs on either side of her lap, and then traced her fingers up and around her neck. “There’s a movie I like,” she whispered before licking her lips, “where the woman falls in love with another woman,” her thumb brushed against her right arm, on her bicep, and revealed the icy white tattoo of Aquarius that she had covered up with makeup earlier, “who doesn’t share her sign.”

A keen rose in the back of her throat, but Mikasa swallowed it in favor of a quiet groan. “That doesn’t sound too bad.”

Annie tilted her head to the side, but then smiled, gentle and soft, at her. “No. It doesn’t.”

* * *

Connie prided himself in cooking. He maneuvered around his toy kitchen as a toddler to mimic his father, a professional chef. When he was fourteen, he cooked his first meal for his family, including a real estate agent mother and younger twin siblings, and worked at his father’s restaurant as a waiter throughout high school. Cooking on his own, for himself or for someone else, was a passion he had. And he knew his food was good—he was eating it without a problem. It was the best meal he had made in a while. Why his date—because that’s how they both saw it now—wasn’t as eager made him concerned.

“You alright?” He asked past a mouthful of noodles. “You’re not eating.”

Sasha glanced up at him from where she had been gazing off into space, and gave an embarrassed smile. “Yeah, I’m fine,” she responded, though her tone of voice contradicted her words. “I guess I’m just distracted, is all.”

“Aww, that’s lame.” He twirled too much spaghetti onto his fork, but ate it either way. 

“Yeah, I guess so.”

He held up a hand, as if asking for her to wait a minute, and finished chewing what he was eating. “It’s lame that you’re lying to me.”

The Leo sharply inhaled, her eyes going wide. So he wasn’t just imagining things. There really was something going on that was wrong. Maybe she was distracted, but there was something else going on in her head that she wasn’t telling him. He had seen it lingering on her face since she had first arrived, and not knowing about it was starting to irritate him.

Connie gently folded his napkin from his lap and put it back on the table. “If you’re mad at something I did—”

“No!” She answered immediately, too quick, and he jumped back in his chair in shock from her yell. His reaction calmed her down considerably. “It’s nothing you did, I promise. It’s all me.”

The Taurean scoffed. “I’ve heard that before. Never really knew it was true.”

Sasha frowned, offended by the slight accusation against her. “It’s not like that.”

“Then what is it? If it’s not me, then what did you do?”

A Taurus was, according to his parents, legendary for never backing down and standing in place until they got their way. He didn’t know much about Leos, though he was aware of their ability to be just as stubborn. If he wasn’t going to back down, and she wasn’t going to budge from her spot, he didn’t know how much longer they would, or could, last. Maybe that was why their signs were separated: to protect them from the potential damage they could perform on one another.

* * *

After combining forces and thoroughly cleaning the room, Reiner and Bertolt put the trash bags in the kitchen for the time being. They would keep them there for now, per Armin’s request via text, until they could be taken out. When they did, the Leo had started snooping through the cabinets and fridge for a remnant of a snack, “to celebrate” he argued when Bertolt tried to stop him, before he discovered a half-eaten tub of ice cream in the fridge. With a triumphant grin, he got out two spoons and opened the carton before digging into it. The Capricorn was more cautious, not in question of its origins, since he knew Connie had been the one who left ice cream behind. His hesitation and eventual giving in was from the fact that Reiner was so cordial, so friendly and reassuring with light brushes against his skin like electric shocks, it was impossible not to be drawn in.

“I never really thought about what I want to do with my major,” he admitted, seated on a barstool as he scooped more ice cream onto his spoon. Reiner, sitting on the counter cross-legged, listened while trying to balance his own utensil on his nose, but to no avail. “I could teach at the university, but there’s years of work that goes into it.”

“Are you gonna work here or transfer?” The Leo wondered, then cursed under his breath when the spoon slipped off his nose once again.

“I’m not sure. I don’t even know if I could.”

“Good.”

Bertolt eyed him suspiciously. “Why is that good?”

Reiner tried to balance the rounded curve of the spoon on his nose once more. “No reason.”

“That doesn’t explain anything. It just makes you look like an ass.”

The shorter male frowned and let the spoon clang on the counter. “That’s rude.”

“As rude as you not wanting to answer my question?”

“It means I still get to see you.” His answer was abrupt, coming almost as an interruption. He went further on when the Capricorn gazed at him in confusion. “If you stay here…we still have a chance.”

Bertolt felt his face burn at the explanation, and hazel eyes wandered over to him, focused solely on him. Reiner scooted forward, still giving him space but not very much, and nudged the ice cream carton aside. Forest green eyed the Leo before him for sign of a surge forward that would capture him in a breathless kiss and a clashing of teeth and tongue. With one glance at his expression and into green-grey depths, he could tell that it was one of his intentions.

“Do you remember that one time, when Sasha and I were going to meet with you and Armin?” He asked in a quiet voice, the lowest it had been since they had gotten to the kitchen. “It was before we joined, and you and I had…” Reiner hesitated, his eyes scattering to the side in embarrassment, “kissed on the conference table?”

Bertolt nodded albeit cautiously, but he paused when coarse palms caressed his cheeks gently and pulled him closer. He was nearly out of his seat from the force, his gaze unwavering yet unable to stay stable.

“Do you feel like that now?”

Without having to ask for clarification, Bert knew what he was referring to. There was a raw energy between them that day, a representation of what they could have and what they could be if they were able. It would be a lie to say that the Cap didn’t have something constrict in his chest whenever he crossed paths with Reiner in some way. He couldn’t describe it, but it was something like a gravitational pull that was dragging him closer and closer to his destination, and it felt undeniably incredible.

“Do  _ you _ , Reiner?”

* * *

There were some instances where actions were explained, understandable in their performance, justifiable in their reasoning. But Marco had quickly proven that none of that mattered once he and Jean had stumbled up from the table and through the rows of books for cover. Jean was the one who had pulled him to his chest, locking their lips once more; Marco only reciprocated by shoving him against the far end of the shelves and grasping his shoulders. The Arian grunted at the shove, panting quietly when they broke apart for air.

“I didn’t take you for the aggressive type,” Jean said with an airy laugh.

The Gemini chuckled. “I think it’s because of you.” His hands trailed down Jean’s sides before they grasped and tugged at his hips. The sharp tug that connected their lower halves sent chills up his back, and the shorter had to bite his lip on a strained whine.

“G-good to hear.” There was another attempt of an amused laugh, but it was more of a wheeze that quickly lowered into a moan when Marco’s hands skipped to his crotch. “Fuck, Marco—”

They were in public, and he was aware of how wrong it was that they were doing this. But the part of him that wanted to rebel, that wanted him to fall in love with Jean and be happy, was starting to overcome him. With a teasing smile, the Gemini caressed the back of his head and guided him into his shoulder. The romance could be put on hold for now; there were more important things to take care of. “Try not to be too loud, alright?” He whispered in his ear. “Don’t wanna get caught.”

Jean opened his mouth to reply, but instead of words, he was left gasping and rutting his hips forward at the pressure applied there. “O-oh, jeez. This should be— _ fuck! _ ” He thrust forward and bit into Marco’s shoulder, a dull pain that heightened his adrenaline. “Shit, God, Marco!”

* * *

“Eren, what’s wrong?”

Armin wasn’t expecting the tug into the bathroom, nor Eren’s neurotic reassurance that there was no one else with them. He locked the door before he leaned against it and ran a hand through his hair. It was obvious how distressed he was about whatever was on his mind.

“Okay, so, I have something to tell you,” he sighed as he pushed off the door and faced Armin. “It’s come up before, and you weren’t really into it, but I have to say it now, because I don’t know when, or even if, there’s gonna be another chance for me.”

“Okay,” the Scorpio cautiously nodded, though something within told him that this was going up a path he was not familiar with nor wanted to see.  _ You know what he’s going to ask. It’s been on his face for weeks. _ “What is it, Eren?”

The brunet straightened up and cleared his throat. “I think you’re…brilliant. You’re beyond characterizing. If you asked me to describe you, in one word, I honestly couldn’t. And it’s weird, because I can’t remember failing that. So, ah, it got me thinking…how terrible would it be for you if we dated? And it has to be a legitimate reason, not that ‘different signs’ bullshit.”

The demand for an answer, one he wasn’t even sure of yet, rendered him silent. Although the thought of it had crossed his mind, whether it was from his appointment with Marco or the night he slept on Eren’s shoulder, Armin never let it expand. The thoughts were always pleasant, and it made his stomach queasy at the thought of being affectionate with the Arian, but he knew better than to get his hopes up like that. It would be cruel to his heart, in the long run. The blond took a small step back, to get a better look at the taller. “Are you kidding?”

“I don’t know,” Eren frowned, “does it look I’m kidding?”

Armin couldn’t help but let a scoff out past his lips at the response. Why was he getting so worked up over it? There hasn’t been anything said. “I thought you were dating Jean—”

“We broke up.”

“Oh.” The last he had heard, they had been fine. Whatever had caused it to end must have been bad. At least he had one obstacle out of the way. The other one, he wasn’t so sure of. “I don’t know, Eren. How is it going to work? Should we hide our tattoos every time we go out?”

“That’s not what I asked—and it’s not what I meant.” Eren stepped closed, and Armin’s chest constricted. Their bodies were nearly brushing against one another, and the shorter swore his heartbeat was felt through the layers. “Would you be interested in us dating?”

Armin almost answered with his denial, because it was the only thing he could back up with confidence. But when he pondered over his response, it was not in his own voice. It wasn’t even technically his advice to himself. It was the voice and words of someone he had only met once, but whose presence and speech still resonated within him. 

_ Unless you want this to be more difficult than it already is, the more you start to care about one another, the easier it will be to lose everything. _

Levi had that experience. He had gone through the pain of caring for others who differed in astrological signs and then saw them torn from his hands. Added to the baggage that he was still lying to Erwin, his own lover, Armin couldn’t let that happen. He couldn’t imagine what any of the eleven individuals he had come to know and care for would do to each other for their own safety. What he was sure of was that he couldn’t keep holding back on one account, especially when he had copied off of that same experience to perfect his own work. It was time to let go, separate how he felt to how he performed, and see what would happen. It was the only way Armin could genuinely see himself being happy. 

* * *

The movie had been drowned out long ago, and the wine and snacks had been shoved aside. Annie’s focus had been shifted onto the Aquarian, at first because a kiss to lips had sent her reeling and smiling without restraint. And once they became more adventurous, it was out of her hands. There was no such thing as rationality.

Mikasa was quiet, that much was known, and not because she was overshadowed by her brash roommate. But once Annie started performing that series of open-mouthed kisses along her neck, there was nothing that could restrain the little gasps and moans of pleasure. It spurred the blonde on to suckle at the loudest spots, lick at keens and jutting junctures, to run her hands up along firm sides and wander up to cup her breasts. That certainly got a louder reaction, though Annie paused either way.

“Is that good?” She asked quietly, leaning so that she could whisper into her ear. When she received a nod and a breathless sigh, her hands began to knead and rub what they held. In return, Mikasa’s fingers slid into her skirt and past her underwear, almost automatic. Annie pulled away, not because the touch made her uncomfortable, but because of the reaction she nearly let out that surely would have been too embarrassing. 

It must have been too fast for the Aquarian regardless, for she sat up with a concerned expression. “Annie?”

“You wanna move that far?”

Mikasa halted momentarily, as if seeing where she could move forward. “Yes.”

Annie responded with a swift kiss that resulted in more, quick and fast and panting, and the blonde hauled her up. She pulled on her arms eagerly, buzzing with an arousal she couldn’t remember feeling for another. “Then move faster.”

* * *

“You watch this shit?”

Historia handed the freckled female a glass of water and took a glance at the television. It hasn’t been very long since she had invited her inside, though she had been unusually quiet. “When I can. It’s not really the best television.”

Ymir didn’t respond, too distracted by the display on the screen, and she smiled faintly past a sip of water. Historia ignored how her eyes eventually drifted to the pictures aligning the walls and any flat surface that could be used as a shelf. This was a stranger, in her apartment, and an air sign at that. The thought of it made her head reel, though not as much as her attempt to figure out what was going on in the Aquarian’s head.

“So,” the blonde sat down on the other end of the couch, “what did you come by for?”

“Hmm?” Ymir glanced over from her staring and blinked as if dazed. “Oh—” She forced her gaze away to her feet, and she scuffled them together. “I…I just wanted to come by. And see you.”

“You said you wanted to talk.”

“I do, I do. I just…don’t know how to say it.”

The blonde smiled piteously, folding her hands in her lap. “You don’t need to do anything fancy. Just get it out.”

“I—”

“I understand. It’s not easy. You wanna say everything, but there’s so much to say, it’s like you don’t know where to start.”

The brunette stared at her in disbelief, sitting up a bit straighter. Historia noticed a spark of inspiration, of determination, in her eyes that had been dimmed down to almost nothing before but was now reawakened. Her words must have created a reawakening in her that spurred her on to grab a hold of the Capricorn’s hands and let them hover in the space between them. The blonde flinched at the contact, but didn’t retaliate or pull away. If it helped her get her words out, she would allow it for now. 

“Historia,” Ymir began in a low voice, “you probably already know I like you. But it wasn’t done…I didn’t express it like you wanted it.” She paused to mull over her thoughts, resuming with more confidence. “I can’t regret that, and I can’t change it, because it’s who I am. That’s how I do it. And if that hurt you, in any way, then I apologize that you took offense to it. But it doesn’t mean I want you any less.” Historia tried to pull away then, but Ymir scooted closer. “I mean it—I’m trying to do what you like! Just…please, at least give me a chance. And if it doesn’t work out, I’ll leave you alone.”

Admittedly, she was interested in Ymir’s offer, if only because she can see that the Aquarian is trying to please her. There had been many admirers who had flocked to her, all trying to woo her in their own way. And as soon as she made her own suggestion, stepped up to them on her own, the hurried flight they took was something she became used to. Ymir was different, because she had done what none of them had ever been able to do. She listened to her, devoted if a bit dismissive of her wishes at times, but she followed through nonetheless. That experience was something she couldn’t remember reaching with another in a while.

And with the worried furrow of her brow, Historia reckoned it was time to make her decision.

* * *

The kiss Reiner pulled Bertolt into was nothing but a clash of teeth and a bumping of noses. It wasn’t like the first one, gentle and cautious, a baby step that was washed away by a tide of embarrassment and exposure to unwanted eyes. Now, the kiss thrummed with need and trembled with a wait that felt too long. Reiner wasn’t sure if what he was doing was the right thing or not; he couldn’t distinguish rationality any longer. And when he pulled away, his stare blaring into wide orbs of olive and spring, a bubble of guilt rose in his chest.

“This was so wrong,” he huffed quietly, “wasn’t it?”

Bertolt didn’t answer, just gulped and tried to rebalance himself. Reiner let his hands fall onto his shoulders, feeling the tense muscles shift beneath his fingers. If the taller felt uncomfortable by it, he didn’t show it.

“I know that was wrong, a-and I know I probably shouldn’t have done it, but…shit, Bertolt. I don’t know how else to tell you that I care for you. This whole having feelings thing is all new for me. How else am I supposed to say it when I don’t have any guidelines for it?”

“Reiner, it’s okay,” Bertolt attempted to assure him, but to no avail. He still sounded and looked just as anxious. “This is…okay.”

The blond furrowed his eyebrows. “How could you say that? I’m trying to open up to you and…I wanna be real with, but dammit Bert, could help me out h—”

Quietly, and so gentle it was like he was made of glass, the Capricorn brought his lips to his and returned the kiss. He held his chin up encouragingly, leaving Reiner breathless and creating fireworks underneath his skin like static to a balloon. Even if he could move his face away, there was no way he would have been able to. Everything was electric, from his fingers to his lips,  _ were they really on his _ , and he wouldn’t have had it any other way.

They broke away much to the Leo’s disappointment, but still stayed close, foreheads together and heads bowed. Bertolt noticed the shocked staring he was receiving, and he offered a weak smile in return. “I’m trying to let you know too.”

This wasn’t a one-person thing. It was mutual. Bertolt actually wanted him?

Reiner couldn’t move fast enough to haul him onto the counter with him and let his body drape over his, ravishing his mouth and humming into him. Bertolt was startled, as told by the small yelp he gave at the tugging, but he was straightening up instantly and balancing on wobbly knees, trying to touch and feel everything at once. It’s like they were running out of time, and the clock was too loud to be ignored, and if they didn’t hurry now, there would never be a second chance for them. And yet, a feeling reciprocated by both sides, they let time move slow; neither wished for the moment to end or for their separation. 

* * *

It was too fast. 

It was too fast because Marco needed to release the emotions and energy he had been holding in for so long. It was because his desire for the Arian with the two-toned hair plagued his thoughts, ever since their first conversation in the library. It was because Jean, trembling from the ministrations, had his arms wrapped around him tightly while Marco cupped the straining bulge. It was because he enjoyed the way Jean muffled his cry of ecstasy and release into his shoulder, panting steaming puffs of air into his shirt. And he was starting to gain his own arousal from the bitten-back sounds, a searing heat that collected in his groin and stomach. 

And once he realized this, the speed and the rapidness of his reaction and the individual in his hold that clutched to him as if he was his only chance of survival, it all came crashing down. 

The Gemini shoved away the shorter male and stumbled backwards. His back hit a plastic cart half-filled with reference books, and he bit his lip to stifle the push of sharp corners into his back. This was not only illegal for performing the act in public, but because they were two different signs, two different worlds, who had collided behind the government’s boundaries. And that was a consequence that he did not want to face. 

“I-I have to go.”

Marco breathed out the words in a wispy hurry, one hand carding through his hair. Jean gripped the edge of the shelf behind him, eyes wide and confused. There was a slight lingering glint of guilt in amber pools— _ no no no don’t look at them _ — _ Jean please don’t blame yourself _ —

“This is wrong. I-I-I—”

“Marco.” It was the only thing he said. His name dripped out like a melody, soft and fragile and so cautious, as if he was saying it wrong—as if he was  _ doing _ something wrong.

Marco didn’t provide an explanation. He turned around, gathered his things, and he was gone.

* * *

“Connie, I’m not a full Leo.”

Connie’s initial reaction was nonchalant. His family was full Taurus, an expected formality with that particular earth sign. Sasha’s bloodline not being Leo was the last thing he was worried about. He shrugged and slumped against his chair. “I don’t care. A lot of people I know are like that. Historia’s a whole other sign than her bloodline—”

“My dad is a Taurus.”

Oh. That caught him off guard; he could recall a very brief discussion on past court dates their group of revolutionaries had been involved in, but he thought little of Sasha’s involvement. It wasn’t what he considered important when he looked at her. And if she wasn’t a complete Leo, it mattered little to him. He was starting to learn that their signs meant next to nothing in the big picture of their relationship.

Sasha stared at him with wide cinnamon eyes that brimmed with tears, her hands wringing in her lap. She appeared so small across from him, food untouched, shoulders tensed up, mouth curved in a position he couldn’t help but accept. This was a sad part of her, a heavier and more emotional display than he had seen. He consumed it like he took in everything else about her, from her dewy eyes to the slight tremble to her form.

“I don’t mind,” Connie whispered, at a volume loud enough for her to hear. “I still like you.”

On one hand, it really didn’t matter, because he had the same sign as her dad. But he knew it was deeper than that, and he wasn’t able to see it yet. Or maybe Sasha just wasn’t ready to let him view it.

“I only pushed you away because this is a lot for me,” she said back in a voice just as small as his. “You’re so sweet, Connie, and it’s so… _ much _ at one time, a-and seeing you and being here, it…” She stumbled over her words, giving a drawn-out sigh, “it makes me happy. But I can’t repeat my parents’ mistake.”

“If they made a mistake, then that means that you would be a mistake,” he offered, “and that’s not true.” Connie had no idea where his words were leading him, but if it was the right way, and it would make her smile, then he wouldn’t stop. “You’re like, the best person I’ve ever met. And I don’t care about your sign, or your dad’s, or your dog’s, because it’s not…you. I mean, it is you, but it’s not, like…it’s not something to worry about. It doesn’t mean I don’t like you.”

Sasha was beyond words as her expression evolved into that of surprise. Maybe if they had proceeded with the direction that their dancing a few afternoons ago (that felt like eons before) had gone, the situation would be different. But Connie meant his words all the same. With a small surge of confidence, he reached over and grabbed her hand for reassurance. He hoped it wasn’t too much for her, and a rise of bile was already levitating upwards to tug onto his guilt.

It was the reciprocated squeeze and a smile that stretched to either ear that sealed the deal and soothed his frayed nerves. And to think that there had been something to worry about.

* * *

Eren’s initial reaction at the musing silence surrounding him was panic. It hadn’t started out in a state that was too severe; the quick demand of his question, he figured, was not one that would receive an instant answer. But he was impatient, internally requesting—demanding—that Armin make some sort of move before he combusted. He was taking too long to respond.

It happened too fast. Armin was standing on his tiptoes, his hands were grabbing Eren’s face, and their lips were crashing together.  _ Oh. _ It was too swift for him to react in time; he was left staggering and struggling to comprehend it. That hadn’t been close to the response he was expecting or even asking for. And yet there was no doubt in his mind that it was right.

Eren pressed up against Armin and walked him backwards until he hit the wall. The sound of his head hitting the tile may have been harsh, but if it hurt, the shorter didn’t say anything about it. Their kiss was only increased in terms of intensity, brunet locks tightly gripped in hands that shook and struggled to clutch on for life. Eren didn’t mind the pull as he dipped further into Armin’s kiss, his own hands holding onto his sides and dancing under his shirt. Beneath his fingertips, Armin shivered, his skin chilled with every sliding grip that passed over him.

_ It’s just a kiss. A kiss can mean anything. _ The words flooded the Arian’s head, making his temples throb at the thought that this was more than he asked for, more than he believed it was. If he could ask for his intentions, past the mouth layered over his and entangling with his tongue, he would waste no time and satisfy his wonders. Even then, with the skill and confidence Armin moved with, would he be able to get anything out?

His rationality and questions were blown away as soon as he felt lithe hands unzip his pants and struggle to push aside the fabric. That was more than enough.

* * *

“Okay.”

Ymir froze at the sudden, yet final, response. It sounded too curt, too short,  _ too good _ , to be considered real. And yet Historia was smiling, soft and small, still managing to appear as an angel in a giant t-shirt and baggy sweats, blonde hair falling out of her bun in tresses. Her stomach churned as she scooted forward, their knees brushing together accidentally and sending a barrage of fireworks into her belly. “Y-you mean—” Ymir cleared her throat. “You mean like…‘okay, I’ll give you a chance’, or…?”

“What other ‘okay’ is there?” Historia asked. Had her voice always sounded that pretty and delightful, punctured by sweet notes that flowed like silk?

“I-I don’t know. You can never tell with these kinds of things.” She tried to lean forward once more, but a hand on her shoulder stopped her from moving. Her eyes flitted to stare into warm pools of sapphire that only made her more queasy with how genuine they turned out to be.

“Why are you so nervous?”

Ymir gulped, tried to find her voice amongst the scrambling in her brain. “I—ah—” How could someone ask something of her and expect her to get a reasonable answer? She had to gulp fiercely in order to create some semblance of words. “I think after you threw coffee on me, we weren’t really on the best terms.”

Historia glanced away in embarrassment, eyes flashing for a brief moment. When she didn’t respond, Ymir quickly yet gently guided her eyes back to her. They had just formed some type of resolution; she wasn’t going to let it go to waste so quickly.

“It’s behind us. We’re gonna start over.”

The sheepishness vanished, melted away from the reassurance and soft hold on her chin. The Capricorn nodded firmly and offered another smile to send her stomach up into somersaults. “Yeah. We’ll start all over and do it right this time.”

Ymir started to speak in agreement, to continue with the uphill conversation, but the thought of doing right suddenly caused her to remember the things she regretted. She had rushed over, for one, sloppy and far from presentable; her hands were still dusted lightly with Cheetos stains; but most importantly, she never thought about presenting the most important gift of all.

“I never got you flowers,” she sighed in defeat. How could she forget such a thing? That was the number-one seller for romance. 

“That’s okay,” Historia assured with a shrug. “We can go get some now.”

The freckled female tried to resist the broad smile, but failed to keep it tame. She sat up a little straighter, a little more eager. “Yeah?”

“Of course. Consider it our first date.” The blonde stood and helped the taller to her feet as well. “We can get something to drink after, if you want.”

Ymir predicted that she would not be returning home that night.

* * *

The only trace of evidence that proved Marco had been around was the dark green coat still hanging on his chair. Jean didn’t see his own blue coat anywhere, the only thing of his that was missing, and figured it must have been grabbed by mistake, in his rush to get out away. As much as he wanted, the Arian couldn’t find it in himself to put blame on the Gemini, like he would for anyone else. After all, he was the one leaving in a hurry, though whatever offense Jean may have caused was unknown. Perhaps it was one he was too blind to see. It wouldn’t be the first time.

Jean pulled the green jacket on, broader in the shoulders than what he was used to, avoiding the urge to delve into the whiff of vanilla and the distinctive scent of Marco that suddenly conquered his senses. Outside, a light drizzle of rain began to drop onto campus, so he stayed under the awning to the library’s cafe entrance. He hurriedly tugged out his phone and pressed the call button on the contact he knew would be able to help him out.

“ _ Wh-what? _ ”

“Eren, I need your help,” he demanded immediately. “I ran into Marco in the library, and we were talking, and then we weren’t, and he may have jerked me off, I don’t know—”

“ _ Jean, I’m super busy right now _ .” Eren’s voice sounded strained, preoccupied, and his breathing came in soft pants. “ _ Can this, like…wait? _ ”

“No, it can’t wait, I need to get this done  _ now _ .”

“ _ Okay, well, too bad, I’m a little— _ **_shit_ ** _ — _ ”

It suddenly dawned on him what Eren was doing—or, at the very least, what it sounded like. Jean recalled the same sounds coming from him when he had once performed the same pleasures to him. And it was while he was on the phone, no less, as his roommate/ex-boyfriend was internally freaking out over his problem.  _ What a fucking dick.  _ “You jackass.”

“ _ Hmm? _ ”

“Fuck you, Eren, you know what I’m talking about!”

“ _ It was Armin’s idea! Wait, hold on a sec— _ **_don’t take the phone_ ** _ — _ ”

The phone shifted for a brief second, and then Armin’s voice was in his ear, just as winded. “ _ He’ll have to call you back, Jean. Good luck with your problem. _ ”  _ Click. _

If a part of him hadn’t been glad that Eren was with someone who had been on his mind for weeks, Jean would have screamed.

* * *

From the library’s bathroom emerged a short blond, straightening his clothes up as best he could and retreating to the upstairs portion of the library. Shortly after, a wobbly-legged brunet followed suit, meeting up with the blond in the lobby. They exchanged no words, only belongings, and then hurried out of the library, hands clasped together.

“Do you wanna go to my place?”

“Yeah, it’s safer. Lesser chance of being walked in on.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

* * *

After Sasha confessed the secret that had been gnawing at her for what felt like an eternity, she was finally able to eat and enjoy her food. She even went back for seconds and thirds when she ate it, and the joy that it brought to Connie made her feel even more content. They chatted about trivial things, topics that didn’t matter and varied from so many facets, yet it worked for them. The more they talked, the more they learned, the more they loved. When they looked at one another, they didn’t see what society had labeled. They only saw the person that they had crafted, setting aside the sign and only focusing on the individual before them. It was the first time either of them had ever done that. 

“What do you wanna do now?” Connie asked, his head in Sasha’s lap and his body draped across the couch. They had previously been quizzing one another with music and movies, to see how much they had in common, but now sat in a satisfied silence. 

Sasha shrugged with a hum, her fingers gently tracing patterns against Connie’s scalp. “Not sure. We could just hang out for right now. I don’t really feel like moving.”

“You can’t, anyway.” She laughed at that, enticing him to reciprocate as well. “It’s true!”

“I know, I know.” The smile she gave him was one of pure content, and she knew by one glance that he was just as smitten. She wished they hadn’t been so blind before so that they could have been doing this earlier. “I don’t mind either way.”

Connie gently took the hand on his head and gazed at the scarlet tattoo etched onto her palm before he kissed it. Sasha winced at the contact to the oversensitive area, though his lips were soft. Either way, she leaned forward to peck his forehead and trailed down to his nose and lips. She didn’t want to go too far; it wouldn’t feel right in this situation.

“Can we just cuddle?” She asked in a low voice. 

Connie couldn’t get up quick enough, it seemed, and gathered a quilt from the closet. She watched him drape it around her shoulders and then hopped back over the couch so he could curl into her side. Sasha accepted the lithe form immediately, and their shared embrace brought gentle nuzzles and shared grins. At that moment, there was nowhere else she would rather be. 

* * *

Bertolt had never felt more alive, traced with bouts of electricity and a swell of life, than when he and Reiner dashed out of the kitchen and down the stairs to the main lobby. Someone—they weren’t sure who, maybe a janitor—had been heard whistling and entering a nearby room, and their guts churned with the possibility of being found. And it was obvious that their actions were too specific, with plump lips and sloppy hair, flushed faces and ragged breaths. And yet the Leo never ceased his grasp in between his hands, even when they made their way outside. 

The duo ran out into rain, but Reiner seemed unfazed by it. He was laughing and grinning and brimming with energy that Bertolt couldn’t tear his eyes away from. It was addictive, like bright yellow strands sticking out and tugging him in and keeping him locked inside a taut hold.

“That was so close,” the shorter giggled, like a child on his birthday, and stopped short in front of Bertolt. The taller resisted the surprised squawk that got caught in his throat, wrapping his arms around Reiner’s shoulders for balance. “Can you believe we almost got caught?!”

The Capricorn started to speak, but he was tugged off his feet and spun once before any words could be formed. “Reiner!” He grasped onto broad shoulders and eyed the blond in question with disbelief and amusement. A kaleidoscope of hazel gazed up at him with absolute devotion and admiration, a promise that he wasn’t going to be released unless he truly wanted it. Bertolt couldn’t remember anyone looking at him with such intensity, such dedication, before now, and it caused his heart to skip a few beats. Suddenly, he didn’t want to be put down anymore.

Reiner must have read him, for they met each other halfway in their next kiss, Bertolt wrapping his arms around him. His feet slowly found a steady placement on the ground, although the rain provided a slippy challenge. Thankfully, they broke apart before he could tumble, and they pressed their foreheads together.

“Do you wanna,” the Leo gulped, licked his lips to clear away the dryness. “Do you wanna head back to your place? Or should we go our separate wa—”

“No,” he interrupted, and shook his head to refocus his train of thought. “I don’t want to leave.”

“Oh.” Reiner straightened up, and chuckled softly. “Well, you might want to soon, because it’s really starting to rain.”

True, the weather had started to worsen, but Bertolt caught the joke in his tone and rolled his eyes. “I meant from  _ you _ . I wanna stay with you.”

The ecstatic look he received was enough to warrant another kiss, sloppier and filled with more desire. At the rate they were going, they weren’t going to make it to his apartment.

Reiner pulled back to lace their fingers together and squeeze, followed by a wink. “Lead the way.”

* * *

It might have been because his heart thumping inside his chest and panging each step he took that brought him farther away from the library. Though it also could have been in part from the jacket he took that was not his, draped over his arms because he doesn’t want to tear the seams, and he couldn’t rid himself of the smell of coffee that had wandered through his nostrils and decided to curl into his gut. Or maybe it was a result of his inability to deny how he truly felt and that Jean was the person he cared for, no matter how much running he did.

Whatever it might have been, it was enough to spur Marco to turn around and head back the way he had came. Thankfully, his apartment wasn’t far from the library. He wouldn’t be surprised if he ran into Jean. His only hope was that it didn’t become a disaster and that Jean didn’t despise him for leaving, and without an explanation at that, no matter how much that thought was slowly falling apart.

The rain came down harder the longer he walked, and by the time he returned to the library, he was soaked through. He tried not to slip on the polished floor as he wandered back to the table he had used, but stopped when he saw that it was bare. Jean must have left, which meant Jean wasn’t happy, which meant Jean was mad at  _ him _ —

Shooing away the negative thoughts, the Gemini marched back outside and proceeded home once more. It took a bit longer than before, since he couldn’t see from the combination of the night and the rain, and he tripped several times on untied shoelaces or breaks in the ground. He was sure he was going to get sick at this rate, and if that was the case, then it would be convenient that he already never wanted to leave his bed again.

Marco could have sighed in relief when he saw the courtyard in front of his apartment, but he was too worn. He felt like a wet dog forced to stay outside for soiling the carpet, though the equivalent to his owner, in this case, was someone he had no chance of ever being with in the way he desired. At least now he had the opportunity to be warm while wallowing in self-disgust.

“Marco!”

Before he was continued his journey to his apartment, he was forced to turn around and gaze into a burning fire of a stare, not just in intensity, but in color as well. The gold orbs, the blond strands pinned to his forehead, the defined features and thin hands that pressed against his shoulder and shook him back to reality.

“Jean…” He uttered his name in a whisper, still unsure but hoping this wasn’t an illusion. This was far from the best time to be imagining things, and if he was…

He was suddenly yanked into an enraptured embrace, one that pinned his arms to his sides with a bony grasp. From the green jacket he spotted on his person to the same aroma that had wafted from the coat in his arms, Marco understood that everything had built up to this moment, and he felt a small breath of relief leave his chest. He returned the hug with just as much vivacity, even if the reasoning behind it was unclear, but it mattered little to him when it felt so  _ right _ . How could he have let his doubts plague his mind?

They pulled away, keeping one another at arm’s length, and Marco could see the crunches of worry relaxing in Jean’s features. A bony hand reached up to a freckled cheek and held it there, soft and gentle yet still cautious, like he would snap. But when he didn’t, and the rain continued to pour around them, Jean frowned, the creases returning. Fear clutched his stomach once more, mind scrambling to figure out what he had done wrong.

“Are you trying to die, Marco?”

_ That _ was not the response he was expecting. “H-huh?”

Jean poked at his coat that was still dangling over Marco’s arm. “You can’t just walk around in the rain without a coat on. You’re gonna get sick.”

It was the last thing he expected, but it brought out a laugh in him nonetheless. The shorter stared at him as if he had lost his mind, especially when an arm was weakly thrown over his shoulders and Marco swayed on his feet. Perhaps he was more tired than he thought he was. Jean was there to hold him up nonetheless, ready to support him in as many ways as he could. If he was dreaming, he refused to ever wake up.

“Take me home, Jean.”


	19. The Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

_ Six months had gone by since the landmark court case Shadis v. Dok took place and was released to the public. Not too long after the failure to remove astrological bans, with help from a number of riots performed by the student body of Mitras University, the Four Elements Act was put into place, ultimately dividing society into the respected signs of an individual. There were scheduled times for supermarkets to be used, for banks, even for restaurant reservations. Primary and secondary schools, already split by element, were further divided. Jobs were lost to better accommodate the new laws. And yet a group of nine kept to themselves in the Mitras National Park as winter chills threatened to send them over the edge. With physical wounds completely healed and internal ones still scalding from exposure, there was no peace or relief to be had, as seen by one late November morning. _

_ “Rene, can I talk to you about something?” Auruo asked as he walked into the kitchen and slumped against the doorframe, arms crossed. Although he wasn’t always in the best of moods, there was an obvious amount of hostility in his expression. _

_ The Cancerian, hair in two low pigtails, shrugged from her place at the kitchen table. Her family’s summer home, thankfully unused since her days in high school, had been their place of residence for the past few months. After the six refugees from the court case were declared lost by government officials, she took them in and gave them a home to stay in. She, along with Henning and Gelgar, were just as wanted as their companions now; hiding in her family’s home was their best option. There was no contact to their families or anyone they knew outside of their collected group, except for a letter of explanation to Rene’s parents and her wish that they weren’t disturbed. _

_ “It’s important.” He eyed the three others—Nanaba, Gelgar and Henning—who were making breakfast for themselves and were distracted by his outburst. “And private.” _

_ “If you’re gonna be loud about it, why not just share all of it?” Nanaba teased lightly, smirking further when Auruo’s glare narrowed. _

_ “Because it’s important and private and the longer we wait, the more time we waste.” _

_ “God, you sound like…” She halted and shook her head. The name didn’t have to be uttered; he knew who she was referring to. And the effect was all the same: the Capricorn tensed, shoulders caving up slightly, and his gaze flitted down to his feet in disgusted shame. _

_ “If you promise not to yell at me,” Rene offered past a mouthful of waffle, “I’ll listen.” _

_ Auruo glanced up at her before scoffing. “Yeah, sure.” She waved him on, a sign to continue, and he rolled his eyes. “I promise.” _

_ She nodded to the seat across from her, and he sat down quickly. She slid over a plate with a mountain of toast on top, and he took a piece. “So, what do you wanna talk about?” _

_ He picked at the slice of bread in his hand, tearing off the crust and putting it to the side. “We were talking—Ra, Gun, Eld and I—and we decided that it’s time to move out. There’s this abandoned house up the road from here—” _

_ Rene shifted uncomfortably in her chair, a hand clenching her napkin. “Auruo—” _

_ “I mean, I’ve seen it, and it’s basically a piece of shit, but Gunther said the exterior is all that really needs to be redone and then we can live in it—” _

_ “No, Auruo—” She fidgeted with her utensils before her hand flew across the table to grip his wrist. “If you four leave the house, you’re asking for death.” _

_ “Ren—” _

_ “Don’t call me that.” _

_ “We know what we’re doing. We can’t stay here forever. Do you really think that nine people can just wait it out here and hope for the best?” _

_ “This house is big enough for nine people, Auruo. This is too risky!” _

_ “The road’s practically covered up; it’s like Jacob’s house in ‘Lost’!” _

_ “That’s a fucking TV show, Oreo,” Gelgar snorted. “And it actually wasn’t his house, so suck it.” _

_ Rene, the soles of her palms pressed against her forehead, let out a long sigh. “Auruo, even if this was a good idea, one of you is going to get sick. I’ve seen that house, I grew up with it, and I believe it can be remade into a nice home, but it’s nowhere near living conditions, especially in the winter. You’d all freeze before spring came, and then your dead bodies will thaw, and someone’s gonna smell it—” _

_ “Okay,” Gelgar interrupted with a chuckle, “now  _ **_that’s_ ** _ overreacting.” _

_ “Do you mind?” Auruo snapped. _

_ “Who’s gonna pay the bills?” Rene demanded, and she started to count off her fingers. “You need electricity, water, heat—” _

_ “We’ll figure it out.” _

_ “You can’t just figure this out when you get to it, Auruo! That’s irresponsible!” _

_ Gelgar’s cackling as he left the room paused the conversation, and allowed a momentary break for the tension to lower. Auruo waited for more to be said, for the conversation to continue, but with Rene’s head bowed and her attention elsewhere, he knew that it was the end. He got up without another word, a surprising accomplishment on his part, and walked away. As he did so, the Cancerian stole a glimpse up one last time to see three other figures chatting to him at the bottom of the stairs. A pang erupted in her heart at the excited smiles that were quickly turned to frowns of disappointment, the dimming of hope in previously-bright eyes, the stilling of movements that must have once been a move forward for them to thank her—had they been that sure of her being alright with this? Auruo glanced back at her, but she stood up and walked away before she hurt herself, or them, anymore. _

_ It wouldn’t be until a year after the elemental segregation law had been put in place, with winter long gone and spring approaching, that Rene was confronted by Eld and Gunther. This time, she was given no choice: they were going to repair the house and live there for now, with or without her approval. It was barely a ten minute walk from their current location, but she was still reluctant to give in. _

_ “It’ll be a lot easier for you,” Gunther clarified. “You’ll have more room in your house, and you won’t have to buy food for nine people anymore.” _

_ “And we know vegan foods aren’t cheap, so we’ll find out how to pay you back for that,” Eld added. _

_ “With what money?” She proposed. “How are you going to pay for any of this?” _

_ “Don’t worry about it, we got this taken care of.” _

_ “No, how are you going to do it?” When there was no answer, Rene frowned and looked at both of them with a furious glare that only increased in intensity when the silence continued. “Well?” _

_ “Well, we did those eBay sales—like you said—and they really helped,” the blond admitted, “but we may or may not have done a few scams on the side.” _

_ “What kind of scams?!” _

_ “Nothing major,” Gunther assured. “They’re just…little things.” _

_ “Sometimes credit card,” Eld piped in with an uneasy grin, but shrunk away at the irritated glance she shot. “Okay, most of the time. But it’s not that bad—we haven’t even gotten caught yet—” _

_ “You’re criminals,” she mumbled under her breath with a dazed shake of her head. The accusation hurt, she could see it in the frowns that formed, especially considering the situation they were in, but their feelings on any matter meant little to her at the moment. “It’s bad enough we’re hiding out here and can’t face the outside world. But this is illegal, and I can’t support it when it puts other lives at risk.” _

_ “Good, so we’ll get out of your hair!” The blond beamed wide, as if he had won the argument. “Everyone wins!” _

_ “No, you don’t get to win. You’re going to stop.” _

_ “Okay, but to be fair, it wasn’t our idea.” _

_ “Then whose idea was it?” _

_ “That’s classified,” Gunther stated with a scowl. _

_ “It was mine.” _

_ From behind them, Mike stood in the doorway but walked over to them after he had spoken up. Rene’s eyes went wide at the confession, but the duo across from her were surprised for a different reason. _

_ “I thought you didn’t want us telling anyone else,” Eld said. _

_ The Scorpio shrugged, and gathered Rene’s attention with a small hold on her shoulder. “Things change.” _

_ “How long have you been running them?” She wondered in a small voice. _

_ “Since late November, a little after you talked to Auruo. He really wanted to help prove that they were capable of being independent from you.” _

_ Rene winced, her shoulders caving up, and she stared up at Gunther and Eld beside her. What they did, and were doing, was wrong, but she couldn’t keep them held down forever. She wanted them to be safe and to live without fear, but she also knew they wanted to accomplish that on their own. “You can fix up the house?” _

_ “With a little help, yes,” the Leo confirmed with a nod. _

_ “Who’s helping you?” _

_ “That’s why I came down,” Mike replied. “Petra and Nanaba have been trying to reach out to the doctor for a few days—” _

_ “Did they reach him?” Eld wondered, and he grinned wide when he received a confirming nod.  _

_ “You don’t mean…” Rene faltered slightly, and only grimaced when the Scorpio glanced at her.  _

_ “Doctor Jaeger can remove the brandings. And he promises more than that.” _

 

Chapter 19: The Aftermath

 

Annie woke up the next morning to sunlight in her face and the whining of her dog at the foot of the bed. She shifted up slightly to eye the corgi, tail wagging and eyes begging to be fed. She would have made a move to get out of bed if it weren’t for the arms snaked around her waist. A turn to the other side of the bed reminded her of the guest she had had over last night and the events that had taken place afterwards. Mikasa looked content and relaxed beside her, and it brought a faint smile to her lips. Annie leaned over to brush away a strand of black hair from her face and admired the woman before her.

Romance had always been an afterthought for the Arian, though mostly because she couldn’t find anyone who she wanted to spend time with. It was hard to find an individual who understood her well enough to support her when she needed it and when she never asked for it. As an undergrad, she searched for the woman who guaranteed the most out of the relationship, but it had only ended up as heartache in the end. Apparently, Annie hadn’t been good enough for her, and she had been researching the experiences of others in bed besides her girlfriend. Something was different about Mikasa, and not just because of her date of birth. She made her feel secure, protected almost, as if there was no reason for qualms or worries.

The other female didn’t take much longer to wake, her legs stretching underneath the covers before her eyes slowly opened. The reveal of the graphite orbs still heavy with sleep reminded Annie of specific memories from last night: the touch of bare skin against their bodies, hands clutching and caressing, hips rocking and fingers digging for both release and stability. And the sounds those thin red lips had uttered, the lip stain she had on smeared slightly from heated kisses, and the melody of hearing her  _ name _ —

To wake up every morning like this, sated and glad for the circumstances she had landed in, was not a bad idea. 

“Hey there,” Annie whispered, a small smile on her face.

Mikasa hummed in greeting, a soft tilt to her lips that appeared more like friendly teasing than anything. “You should smile more often.”

“You would like that, wouldn’t you?”

“It would please me.”

The Arian scoffed and sat up to peck her forehead. “Have any plans for today?”

“I have to check and see what Ymir’s doing first, make sure she’s still alive. I have school things That have to get done, but they can wait.” She paused so she could guide the blonde back down to her lips for a soft peck. “I don’t mind spending it with you.”

Annie smiled, genuine this time, and gave a pleased hum. “Good. Because I had no intention of letting you leave this bed.”

“After you showed me what your body can do last night, I don’t want to.”

The corgi hopped onto the bed and whined, but was soothed with a few pats to the head before she scampered away. “She needs to be taken care of. Would you mind if I got out and did that? I’ll make us breakfast afterwards.”

Mikasa released her hold on Annie’s waist and turned onto her back. “I can feed her. You don’t have to do all that.”

“More like  _ you  _ don’t.” Annie leaned down to capture her lips, biting on her lower one as she pulled back teasingly. “If there’s anything I can give you, I’ll give it wholeheartedly.”

The Aquarian tugged her back down so that they could kiss properly, their lips melding together, as if there was no one else who could provide her with the right amount of pleasure and companionship that she needed. And if that was the case, Annie was not going to complain.

“Take a shower first,” Mikasa mumbled against her lips. “I don’t want my breakfast to smell like me.”

Annie snorted and shoved her as she got out of bed. “You’re disgusting.”

“You won’t be saying that later.”

* * *

“Did you ever think that this was gonna end up happening?”

Armin had been awake in a shared reserved silence with Eren for a while. A majority of the reason was in his attempt to remember when he had let himself fall victim to the affections of an Arian. And he wasn’t going to include the moment of final realization in the bathroom, since that was simply him removing a roadblock to continue onwards. It might have been as early as their first time studying in the library—at least for Eren, that’s when it seemed to start. Armin had certainly become more aware of him after that. Maybe it had been a slow process, a gradual snowball rolling down a hill and expanding with every turn, and he hadn’t realized it was there until it was too large to ignore anymore. There was no sure way of knowing, for him—and who knew if there was a time? He was still as unclear about his feelings for the fire sign as he had been before. Sure, it was enjoyable, and he wasn’t bashing or denying the night they had had. But in regards to the long term, he wasn’t sure what could happen.

The Scorpio turned over on his side to face the brunet better. “What, you mean having sex with a fire sign who has deep feelings for me that goes beyond a basic form of friendship?”

Eren snorted, if a bit embarrassed, and laughed quietly under his breath. “Yeah, something like that.”

He paused with a hum to word his statement correctly. “Maybe with an earth sign. Fire just seems so…unlikely.”

“Because of the element thing?”

“They do cancel each other out, you can’t deny that.”

“True.” Eren flipped over onto his side to face him as well, his head held up by his hand. “I gotta say, though. If it could be anyone, then I’m glad it was you.”

Armin smiled, as faint and cautious as it was. Eren was endearing and irresistible, an observation that proved itself last night when he wondered why they had made it as far as the couch and were still clothed. Perhaps that meant he was starting to grow on him. “I agree.” He hesitated to continue, if only because he didn’t want to hurt (or anger) the Arian in any way. “But I…I have to admit that as nice as it was—and it  _ really _ was—”

“You weren’t half bad yourself.”

_ Please stop making this harder.  _ “I can’t say if I’m ready to pursue this or not. There’s just no way of knowing if it’s right for me.”

Eren shifted slightly, removing the weight from his hand so he was on his stomach. “You mean like…as a relationship? If we took this a step farther?”

“Yes, exactly like that. I don’t want to risk anything, I can’t, and—”

“Dating me would be a giant risk.”

“Eren, please don’t be offended—”

“I’m not, God no!” Eren looked shocked at the accusation, at the least, so it wasn’t completely terrible. It was different from the expectations Armin had. “I’m not angry or anything. I mean, I’m sad about it, sure, but…I’m not gonna stop, because just being with you last night is enough for me to know that you’re at least interested. And I can wait until you’re at least ready to pursue a relationship with me.”

“What if I’m not ever ready for it?”

He smirked at that, a sight that the Scorpio seared into his head for a later date. “Arians are just as stubborn as you guys. I’m not gonna stop.”

“Oh thank goodness. I was worried you would go away easily.”

With another laugh, Eren started to scoot close, but then hesitated as he got closer. “Can I, ah…cuddle with you?”

“Well, I should probably make us food, but I don’t want to get out of bed, and I can at least admit that you’re attractive…”

“Don’t tease me like that.” 

Armin, chuckling in amusement, opened his arms and waved him over; Eren dove forward to embrace him instantly. There was nothing wrong with what they were doing, and if there was, he would have liked to see a viable explanation. Even if one of them harbored romantic feelings for the other, and the other was still unsure of what to call his flutter of butterflies in his gut, if he could just persuade himself to look at it simply and remind himself of their feelings, he could push off a confession that would change both their lives in an instant.

* * *

It was unlikely for anyone to wake up to the smell of bacon and eggs sizzling against a pan. Out of the numerous movies she had seen and the books she had scarcely read, and the screenplays she had scanned, it was near-improbable. Sasha had to admit, however, with her eternal appetite and cheesy requests, that there was nothing she wanted more than to wake up to it. There was something about the promise of a well-cooked meal, the aroma from the kitchen wafting in the air and to her senses, that was ecstatic in her veins. There was no other way to please her, and she pounced on it as quickly as humanly possible.

Although maybe falling out of bed with a loud thump and then tripping over her feet to collide into Connie was a bit too much.

The Taurean in question yelped at the sudden pressure against his back and had to brace himself against the counter. It didn’t take the joy out of his eyes, however, when he turned to see her nuzzling against his shoulder. “Morning,” he greeted in a chipper tone. “I’m making you breakfast.”

“It’s all for me?” Her eyes darted to the stovetop to ogle the sputtering strips of meat and the slower, more melodic fizzling of the sunny-side eggs on the neighboring burner. Her mouth was already watering at the sight.

“Yep!” He nudged the bacon aside before he adjusted a knob. “And I have hash browns in the oven.”

Sasha sighed dreamily, and slumped against him, her stomach growling at the mere thought of the possibilities he could make her. “Come home and cook for me.”

Connie laughed as he slipped out of her grip and began plating the food. “Wanna get the table ready?”

With speed that was not possibly normal for humans, she stepped aside to grab a few utensils from the drawer. The move was almost automatic, as if she knew where it was without him having to tell her anything. It felt  _ right _ , and it felt secure, and as she helped set up their meal, she couldn’t help but become distracted at his subtle movements around his space. She wondered if they would ever have the chance to do the same in a spot they called their home.

“Are you going to eat too?” The Leo asked once she had sat down in wait and he placed her plate in front of her.

“Yeah, I would have used the other two burners, but they broke like, last week, so I can’t use them, “Connie explained as he got a mug from the cabinets above. “Then I could multitask.”

“Mission Impossible: Chef Roulette. Double the cooking, double the danger.”

She noticed, out of the corner of her eye, the wide quirk of his lips at her comment. “You want OJ or milk?”

“OJ, please!” Sasha was silent for a few moments, eyeing his surroundings and the messy countertop, before she was up on her feet and gathering ingredients from what was left out. Connie turned to her, confusion riddled on his features, but she only shushed him with a gentle smile. “I’m going to make you food.”

Connie hesitated, but didn’t protest. “You don’t have to do that.”

“But I want to! Just look at it as thanks for making  _ me _ breakfast.” She opened the oven only to close it immediately with a cough. “That’s  _ hot _ .”

The duo continued to gather the rest of their breakfast, successfully avoiding a collision in the space they danced in. Sasha was glad they had this chance together, because she didn’t know when it would come up next. Last night had been a lovely date, ending with her slumping into his room and snuggling up against him under the covers. The thought of going further than that, of continuing their relationship, made her mind buzz with excitement.

Once his breakfast, which was basically a remake of her food, was finished and plated neatly, she delicately placed it on the table across from her. The scene was probably overly domestic, and it reminded her of a set to a play she once starred in, but it was something with someone she loved, and it was something she knew she was going to enjoy. 

Connie sat across from her once he rinsed everything in the sink, and then raised his glass of orange juice, smiling shyly past a slight tint that had filled his cheeks. “To dating.”

There was a pleasant twist in her heart at the statement, and she couldn’t help but raise her own glass and grin broadly at him. “To dating.”

No matter where they ended up, they were going to end up alright.

* * *

Historia was awakened by a hand running through her hair and a crick in her neck that she was sure would be there for a good few days. She stretched out her limbs, stiff from the position she had lodged herself into, and made sure she didn’t knock away the hand running through the blonde tresses. Nevertheless, her sudden waking still brought out a gentle laugh from the person above. She tilted her head to meet Ymir’s eyes, and bit back a mewl at the soft nuzzle against her temple. 

“Mornin’, sleeping beauty,” she mumbled, her voice still dazed. “Nice t’see you up.”

“Have you been up for long?” Historia scoffed, kneading her eyes with her palms. She remembered the previous night in tidbits: their endless conversation after Ymir bought her the flowers she liked, sharing an ice cream and coming home to watch horrible television and chat all night. All she remembered was collapsing against Ymir’s shoulder, the natural warmth of her body radiating off her in waves and lulling her into sleep. It had been simple, safe, and definitely wanted on both sides.

“Nah, not really. Kinda regret we didn’t go to your room, though.”

“If we did that, I wouldn’t have been able to hold back.”

The Aquarian sucked in air at the confession, causing a smile to raise on Historia’s lips. “Shit, Cap, I woulda carried you over myself if I had known you wanted to sin!”

“But you were listening so well, I didn’t wanna move.”

“You fell asleep mid-sentence, hon.”

She shrugged with an amused chuckle. “It happens.”

The other bedroom door had opened as they had talked, something Historia had ignored until she saw it was not Bertolt walking out from his bedroom. In fact, it was the last, yet also the first, person she expected to see. The sight of him still elicited a shocked cry, causing Ymir to spin around in alarm to gawk at a very wide-eyed and very shirtless Reiner, pants loose around his hips. He had already opened the fridge, but was frozen in place by their shared stares.

“Why are you—what—how—” Historia started to speak, and tried to get the words out, but Bertolt scrambling out of the same room, in nothing but a shirt that was a few sizes too big, only heightened her awareness and embarrassment. She wasn’t feeling sleepy any longer.

Ymir, on the other hand, seemed to be enjoying the circumstances of the morning very well. She even gave an impressed whistle towards Bertolt. “You’re well-hung, Cappy!”

“Oh God,” Bert murmured under his breath, already prying his fingers into his temple, though one hand quickly moved back down to stop the tail ends of his shirt from trailing up. “Please don’t start.”

“Hey, I’m not interested in taking a ride on your schmeckle. It’s a compliment.”

“Ymir—” Historia warned in exasperation. 

“Cut me some slack, I’ve never seen a circumcised penis!”

“It’s just as great, if you’re wondering,” Reiner finally piped in with a broad grin, though yelped at the slap delivered to his arm. “I had fun last night!”

It was the most awkward transition to breakfast Historia had ever gone through, hands down. Once Bertolt finally found the ability to function without embarrassment and put on a pair of pants, he tried to get Reiner out of the kitchen but was promptly prevented from the stove, just as Historia was. Ymir had tried to leave during the transition, but she was tugged back by the tiny blonde. They were going to sit through it together, whether she wanted to or not. Ymir returned to the kitchen table with a pout and a small greeting to the cat that followed her around. 

“So you couldn’t go to Reiner’s last night to have sex?” Historia sighed to her roommate once she figured out the full story, something she had not wanted to hear. Apparently, they were too distracted to care where they had ended up, and more so stumbled into the apartment. “Or at least wear pants?”

“The pants are a long story—”

“Not really,” Reiner mused, pouring the batter of eggs onto the pan. “We had morning sex and someone was still mind-blown by my very impressive dick.”

“Reiner!” 

“Ew,” Ymir groaned, nose crinkled. 

Bertolt kept his head in his hands before he sat up and gazed at Historia apologetically, “I honestly wasn’t thinking. And you know I would have been more careful if I knew you were out here.”

“I saw them,” the Leo admitted. 

The male Cap frowned and stared fiercely at him. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Uhh, my head was kinda focused on something else, if you’ll remember correctly.” Reiner tossed a smirk and a wink at that over his shoulder.

“Ew, okay, keep the gay sex away,” Ymir requested, reading through the newspaper. Every now and then, she wrestled a page free from the cat in her lap, who swatted at the loose pages.

“You were just complimenting my penis,” Bertolt scoffed, “and now you’re suddenly shy?”

“Hey, I can deal with penis. I technically came from one.”

“That’s disgusting.”

“It’s true. And I don’t have to be grossed out by male genitals—cat, stop! It’s the sex I can be grossed out over.”

“How does that work?” Historia asked. 

“Sorry, please refill with twenty-five cents for another two minutes of conversation.”

Historia beckoned the cat to leap onto the table and walk over the newspaper to her, earning her a glare from Ymir in return. She only smiled innocently in response.

They cleaned off the table and got enough plates for the four of them. Reiner finally allowed Bertolt to at least make coffee while he used the stove, but that was the extent of the permitted access to the cooking station. They sat down several minutes later, shuffling as best they could around one another, especially with the assortment of sizes they came with.

“Are you going to put a shirt on?” Ymir asked as they finally sat down and began to eat.

Reiner snorted and slid a few slices of toast on his plate. “Why would I?”

“Because not everyone wants to watch you flex your, what are those, quadceps?”

“Is that even a real thing?” Bertolt wondered with skepticism and more exhaustion than, Historia predicted, he deserved. 

The brunette scoffed. “Do I look like a homosexual male to you? You tell me, Bertie.”

Bertolt eyed his roommate across the table in disbelief, a look entitled  _ why did you have to bring  _ **_her_ ** _ over _ , but she only shrugged and cut her pancakes innocently. She was going to give Ymir a chance, as ridiculous as it was to say or even to acknowledge. She liked the Aquarian for her snarkiness and her inability to put up a filter, even if she herself got agitated with it at times, but she was sure her presence would take some getting used to. In due time, perhaps she could say it was something she  _ loved _ , something she admired with all her heart, and it would be okay.

* * *

Marco’s memory was lost to him once he had gotten up to his apartment. He was shivering and sickly, that much he could recall, so much so that his body had started to shut down and drift off into his subconscious before he was even at his apartment last night. It was warmer and more enticing than the real world, and they both had a great deal of Jean in them, even if he still didn’t want to leave him behind.

When he woke up the next morning, it was difficult to move out of his groggy state and to a more alert one. The covers were warm, but he had the repercussions of a stuffy nose and his body suffered through chills. He knew he had caught a cold, though he doubted it would last long, and he internally cursed himself for not taking care of himself. It didn’t help any that his back was searing more than usual. He must have forgotten to take complete care of himself last night. 

Maybe, however, it wasn’t as bad as he thought. Pulling the covers up closer to his chin and turning from his stomach onto his side, Marco noticed that Jean was sitting in his desk chair, slumped down and scrolling through his phone. He looked exhausted, as if he hadn’t caught any sleep during the night. Amber eyes blinked wearily, a sight Marco recognized instantly as someone trying to keep himself awake. 

“Did you sleep at all last night?” He wondered aloud, startling Jean from his spot. The Arian sat up instantly with a jolt, alarmed at the sudden voice. He straightened up, regardless, with a clearing of his throat. 

“I tried,” he admitted, a hand running through his hair, ragged from what must have been the rain and fingers carding through it with fret. “At first. But, ah, you weren’t really…” Jean hesitated, his lower lip blistered from where he had probably bit down on it like he was now doing. He looked too anxious to speak, as if he was afraid of what to say, or rather what he would say. “You weren’t…sleeping well. It sounded like you were having nightmares.”

“Oh.” He couldn’t recall any nightmares; he had slept soundly on his end. But the flaming pain on his back reminded him of what he had found unsettling. “I can’t really remember anything. I’m sorry—”

“No, whoa, it’s fine.” The smile offered to him forced his heart to miss a few beats. “You don’t have to apologize for it.”

Marco smiled in relief at that, causing the Arian to quickly glance away with a shy grin. It was a little relieving to see that he wasn’t the only one failing to hide the effect he had on him.

“You, ah—” Jean laughed under his breath, a nervous sound that was curt and composed of staccato notes. “Last night, when you got dressed, you said something about your back. But it wasn’t really… It didn’t make sense. And I didn’t see it, so I couldn’t really do anything about it before you pretty much collapsed in bed. So…”

Marco tensed, a bad mistake on his part as he was reminded of the improper care that had befallen his back. The tingling that lingered against his skin made him squirm beneath the covers. “Jean—”

“Are you branded?”

Silence. He couldn’t lie, nor would he after the reputation he’s had to build with Jean. He could confirm it, but he was nowhere near prepared for a confession. And yet if he didn’t answer, it was enough for approval. “I’m not…” He licked his lips, hoping the dryness in his mouth eased up. “I’m not ready to talk about it.”

Jean stared at him, analytical and quiet and yet so dangerous that Marco felt intimidated in his mere presence. His reaction must have been obvious—it always turned out that way for him—because the Arian stood and leaned down, brushed his bangs to the side, and pecked his forehead. A rush of red filled his cheeks, but he was too focused on the endearing look he was receiving to think about his embarrassment.

“I’ll make you some breakfast, alright?” He whispered softly, a soft smile on his face. “What do you want?”

The Gemini had to remember how to breathe before he was able to answer. “Just cereal is fine. I-I guess.”

“Anything to drink?”

“U-uh, yeah. There should be some juice in the fridge.”

With a confirming nod, Jean was out and preparing the meal, just as he had said. Once he was out of the room, Marco carefully edged out of bed, hissing at the slight bend to his back, and scooted to the bathroom adjacent to his room. He didn’t look nearly as bad as he felt, which he supposed was alright, but taking off his shirt and turning to inspect the branding on his back in the mirror was more than enough to reject that assumption. He grabbed the bottle of ointment he had to use specifically for the apparent care of his back. In June, just a few months away, it would be his seventh year doing this. He had gone through his routine for so long already, and he would keep it up for as long as he possibly could.

He had managed to get what he could reach, but he knew it was sloppy. Normally, he could reach enough to touch the arcs and parallel lines, but there was something heavy in his limbs that prevented this. Perhaps it was the cold, which wasn’t a big deal at all, or the fact that he was still exhausted and worn from last night, and he was thankful it was the weekend so he had no classes to fret over.

A gentle hand touched his shoulder to halt his attempts to rub the ointment on his back, and he jumped at the presence. There was nothing he wanted more than to be on his own, to not worry about Jean wanting to help. And yet he stopped his reaching and allowed the Arian to take the container from his hands, just as easy as he had fallen for him.

“Sit down, Marco.”

He turned to see Jean standing outside of the bathroom and offering the desk chair to him, politely standing beside it in waiting. The Gemini took it quietly, turning it so he could sit with his stomach pressed against the back.

“Does it go over your back or just the branding?”

“Just the branding.” His voice was so small compared to the straightforward tone that Jean carried. It lessened his urge to protest against him—maybe that’s why he used it on him.

A few seconds later, a cool sensation was being dragged over the indent in his back, along the top curve. Jean’s fingers were ghostlike against his skin. “I brought the Cheerios box. If that’s what you want. Without milk, by the way.”

Well, at least he was making small talk. It was better than having to explain everything to his inquiries. Marco wished he could watch his hands, the slight pressure of Jean’s fingertips a soft, almost dainty, presence; he wondered if they were even there. It didn’t sting to have them trace over his back, even if the ointment that was accompanied by it was not as welcomed to his branding. The care he felt and saw, by the furrowed thickness of his eyebrows and the concentrative bite of his lip, helped him realize more about the exact feelings that stirred in his gut at the thought of Jean.

“Cheerio was my nickname in high school,” Marco offered with a smile.

Jean scoffed in amusement, a smile of his own forming on his features. “Oh really?”

“Yeah. The band kids and I used to joke that you could see my smile from the stands.”

“You were in band?”

“No, not really. I mean, I did concerts and stuff in elementary school, but I never marched. I played football though.”

“ _ You? _ ” Jean paused, already starting on the parallel lines against his spine, and he let out a bark of a laugh. “Who would’ve thought?”

Marco willed the burning in his face to go down. His cheeks hurt from how big his grin had reached. “It wasn’t anything major—I wasn’t even that good.”

“What position?”

“Quarterback; it wasn’t for a long time, just two ye—” A particular bad spot had him hissing and gripping the chair, his head bowed. Jean peeked over from the corner of his eye, his touch gentle and concerned to match his tone.

“You alright?”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. The middle part is just really sensitive.”

There was a pause in the Arian’s speech, and when he spoke up again, he was cautious in his wording. “You know, there was someone I knew who helped with stuff like this. I can try and get something that can help you.”

“That’s kind of you, but it’s fine, really. I’ve dealt with this for years. It would be silly to give up now.”

“It’s not silly if it’s hurting you.” Jean sounded overly concerned, like he was fretting over a lover rather than a type of friend, and Marco reveled in the thought, even if it was too good to be real.

And yet something in him knew it wouldn’t last. He wasn’t going to remove the branding, or heal it, or whatever Jean wanted him to do, and he knew, by remembering the recent research he had done on Aries, that telling him that would only anger him. The branding was the burden he carried, at one time a reminder of the wrong he had done to face the government and the rules of society that had been placed on his shoulders since his birth. And now, it helped remind him to not give into cowardice so that he could focus on changing the future for the younger generations that could be like him, to prevent others from suffering from searing indents. And if that meant lathering his back every few days just to soothe the burn of a branding, then so be it.

Marco smiled, though he knew it was more distant than he was willing to admit. “I guess not.”

Jean continued, more cautious than ever, to care for his back, and Marco let the ointment build onto the strength of his shoulders in preparation for the burdens he was willing to carry.


	20. All or None

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The final secrets are revealed, pushing final jigsaw pieces into their place. Now the truth can be settled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One of my fave chapters because shit goes down :^) and because it means this fic is almost over

_ Doctor Jaeger was considerably in a worse state of health than the last time any of the runaways had seen or heard from him. His body was much thinner and not as fast, as if a heavy weight had been hooked onto his feet. Although his son—who seemed more interested in other things than helping his dad remove what was left of the tattoos of seven strangers—was still present for assistance, it took a while to get through them, especially with the pain it caused. The entire process consisted of a complete cleaning of the area, followed by a light scraping and brushing of the skin to smooth it out and reduce crinkling. The actual removal of the ink was done with a cotton swab dabbed in a chemical that was apparently too heavy in scientific explanation to be clear to them. _

_ All any of them knew, once they arrived at the Jaeger’s home, was that it was not going to be an easy process. Mike had clarified that the doctor had failed to mention that beforehand, as well as the possibility and fact that some of the removals would vary in levels of discomfort. Thankfully, it only applied to those whose tattoos had not had an attempted removal beforehand, who, after a sound argument from Rene, only ended up being Gelgar. Hanji’s method and experiment, on the other hand, was not the same from the doctor’s at all. _

_ The removal “station” was situated in the parlor, with a simple setup being the chair beside the metallic stand and the utensils laid out. Petra had gone to Grisha Jaeger’s temporary home knowing that it would take a while for both Auruo and Gunther. Their tattoos were on more sensitive areas—the neck for the former, and the right palm for the latter—so the likelihood of pain as a result of their removal was higher. They were placed farther down the order arranged for who would go next, so by the time they were getting ready, Mike and Nanaba could return home. Petra had been reading a magazine as a distraction to the light tingling in her now bare shoulder when Auruo plopped down beside her, gripping his neck. She didn’t have to glance up at him to see his scowl; she had already expected it. _

_ “Don’t whine about it,” she stated before he could speak.  _

_ “I didn’t say anything,” he retorted, his elbow digging into her arm harshly. _

_ “I’m just preparing for it, because I know it’s coming. And I know it’s itchy but it’ll pass if you just leave it alone for a little bit.” _

_ “How would you know?” _

_ “Can you guys stop talking?” Eld requested in a tense tone, fists clenched and perched on his hips. Gunther had already gone in, as told by the voices that trickled out from the parlor. “For like, two hours?” _

_ “It won’t take two hours to remove Gunther’s tattoo,” Petra informed, and shot a glare at the blond when he snorted. “I’m sorry, I thought you would want reassurance that it won’t be as bad as you expect.” _

_ “That’s kind of the last thing I need right now, Ra, so if you could just—” The grunts of pain that transformed into shouts halted him from his protest and stilled his pacing. The couple sitting down shared a glance of concern with one another before focusing back on Eld. The furrow in his brow had only seemed to increase, and his fists clenched tautly inwards. He uttered through gritted teeth, “On second thought, don’t stop talking.” _

_ “You just told us to stop—” _

_ “Well, now I don’t want you to!” _

_ The Cap sighed, rolling his eyes as he hopped to his feet and gently guided Eld over to his spot, pressing his hands against his shoulders to get him to sit. “You need to relax, first of all, because it’s only gonna make things worse if you’re panicking. Second, don’t yell at us, because you’re not the only one who’s frustrated, and we can’t  _ do  _ anything. So unless there’s a way to get around this, you can shout all you want. But until then, sit down and  _ breathe _ , for God’s sake.” _

_ Petra handed Eld the magazine and smirked playfully at her boyfriend. “I thought I was the nag.” _

_ Auruo scoffed and sneered back; “I wouldn’t  _ dare _ take away your crown. You won it fair and square.” _

_ “Is this a magazine issue on the mob?” The blond between them mumbled in confusion as he flipped through the glossy pages.  _

_ “Half of it’s based off ‘The Godfather,” said the Sag as she stood up, straightening up to appear taller. _

_ “What about ‘Scarface’?” Eld turned the next page, and his eyes lit up in understanding. “Oh. Never mind.” _

_ Auruo practically towered over Petra as she placed her hands on her hips and leaned in close. Their chests were practically touching, noses hovering close together. “I bet I can out-nag you.” _

_ “Ha,” tha taller snickered, “I’d like to see you try.” _

_ “This is  _ my _ game, Bossard, remember?” _

_ “Oh Ral. Pure, sweet Ral.” Auruo’s hand gently brushed against her chin, accompanied by a mocking look of pity. “If only you knew me better than that.” _

_ “Hey Eld—” _

_ “No,” the Aquarian, now submerged in the magazine he had been given, answered curtly. _

_ “You didn’t even let me finish.” _

_ “Well, I don’t want to help take down your boyfriend. This is really interesting.” _

_ A cleared throat was what brought the trio’s attention from one another to the doctor’s son, Eren. The last they had seen him, he had only talked to Gunther and Petra, which made it obvious that he was restricting himself to them; everyone else was irrelevant. As surprising as it was, in comparison to his father’s work, society’s limits were strong within him, and it didn’t seem like anything had changed: his eyes stayed on the redhead, not even acknowledging the other two with a quick glimpse. _

_ “You’re blocking the parlor,” Eren stated flatly. One hand held a glass of water with a straw, and the other was perched on his hip in impatience.  _

_ “You can’t walk around?” The Cap sneered, but the younger didn’t spare him a glance. _

_ “Sorry for getting in your way,” said Petra as she moved aside, pulling Auruo along with her. By their past interaction and the look he was giving her now, she doubted Eren would pay attention to anyone who didn’t share the same element as his sign. _

_ “It’s fine,” the Arian sighed, his eyes diverting downwards with a quick flick. If he was attempting to indirectly snub the others, he was successful. Eld had stopped reading the magazine to eye him warily and Auruo was only held in place by Petra’s grip. “You’re just…talking.” It was then that he made eye contact with the Capricorn, a glower smoldered underneath an attempt at apathy. It did nothing but entice Auruo to step forward; there wasn’t much different in height, but the anger that radiated off of his person was enough to bring a slight bit of alarm to Eren’s features. _

_ “Do you have something you want to say?” Auruo mumbled, his fists clenching as he tilted his shoulders back. “Because I would be happy to listen to your biased ass.” _

_ “Leave him alone, Auruo, he’s just a kid,” Petra chided. _

_ “Actually, I do have something to say,” Eren growled as he closed the brink between him and Auruo so that they were chest to chest. It was the first he had spoken to him. “You guys should have never come to my dad for help last year, and you never should have gotten him to remove your tattoos!” _

_ “It’s a little too late for that one, hothead,” the Cap snapped back. “Someone could have died, and it would have been on our hands if we didn’t do anything to help her!” _

_ “Don’t talk to me like you’re the only one who had to go through shit! I had to lie to my boyfriend who’s currently upstairs and wants to know why the hell I’m not hanging out with him because my dad can’t let him know that he’s helping you! We’re not even going to the same college, so I don’t get to see him for weeks at a time!” _

_ “Oh, boo hoo, greenhorn! I had to hide a majority of my relationships in closets and locked doors because they’re considered illegal. And that’s without mentioning that I haven’t even left these grounds for a year, and I probably never will! Sit the fuck down, kid—your shit isn’t even close to ours!” _

_ Eren opened his mouth to argue back, and he looked as if he would say more, but whatever it was died on his lips. He firmly clamped his lips shut and didn’t continue any further with what was on his mind. Auruo waited for him to continue, waited for another point for him to shoot down, but it never came. The Arian walked around him and walked into the parlor, but not without halting in the doorway from the soft, almost afterthought, retort from Eld that cracked the silence. _

_ “You know, when you think about it, it’s pretty ironic that a guy who has a relationship that’s still being accepted by a good majority of people around the world would have the balls to judge others for not having a relationship that society and the government expects of them.” Eld looked over at Eren at his statement and smiled, with a lingering trace of taunting intentions. “Don’t you agree?” _

_ Eren didn’t answer, and didn’t come out once the procedure was finished. A little while later, Gunther came out with his hand wrapped in gauze, and instructions on how to take care of it. Apparently, due to the natural sensitivity of his hand and the raised levels after receiving the tattoo, it had been messier than the previous cases, a statement that was harder to comprehend. _

_ “How badly does it hurt?” Petra asked once they were finally reunited and heading back to Rene’s. They had successfully managed to avoid whoever Eren’s boyfriend was, even with the extra time spent in an attempt to pay Doctor Jaeger back. _

_ “It doesn’t hurt as much as it did before,” Gunther explained, eyes intently focused on the fingers on his right hand as he spoke, “but it’s not anymore pleasant. Doctor Jaeger said I might not gain feeling in it again.” _

_ “What bullshit,” Eld grumbled, kicking a pebble ahead of them in irritation. “This wasn’t supposed to turn into fucking American Horror Story.” _

_ “You don’t have to overreact about it.” _

_ “Why, because you’re ambidextrous?” _

_ “Maybe because I’m going to be fine.” _

_ “Yeah, while you’re forever struggling to use your right hand—by the way, how high is the probability of you being ‘fine’?” _

_ “Can you for sure not use your hand?” Auruo asked, the first words he had said since leaving the house. _

_ “It’s hard to say,” Gunther shrugged. “I probably won’t be able to tell until it completely heals.” _

_ “Is that all you have to say?” Petra asked, partially teasing but also in wonder. _

_ Auruo stopped walking, causing the other three to stop and look back at him as well. He wasn’t as quick to talk as he usually did, something he grew into with the added months of tension between them and the other five they were living with. “I don’t want to stay at Rene’s anymore. I know we’ve talked about it before, and I know they’re great and all, but…” He laughed under his breath and shook his head. “I don’t think we can take it much longer. We need to move on.” _

_ “If you’re thinking this because of what the kid said—” Eld began, but was promptly cut off. _

_ “It doesn’t have to do with whatever that brat said. I just want what’s best for us.” He glanced at Gunther’s bandaged hand after he said that, to which the Leo followed his gaze and sighed. _

_ “How are we going to get what we need?” He wondered. “None of us can leave the house. The only money we have is for food, and growing it is still a work in progress. How are we going to do this?” _

_ There was a brief pause, and a raise of doubt for any possibility of being answered, until Auruo began walking once again, this time fast-paced and forcing the other three to catch up. “I have an idea.” _

 

Chapter 20: All or None

 

It wasn’t until a few days later, a Tuesday, that Armin decided to gather the eleven contributors of the Writ of Division for a type of late lunch celebration on Wednesday. In the email he had sent to them, he confirmed that he had reviewed their final drafts, organized them accordingly, and wanted to compile the components together to send to their government. The choice of lunch was a last-minute decision, and one that they had all pitched in to bring food over from Twelve Drummers. Their meeting place was the same conference room where everything had began and where they had put in hours of work into creating a document that represented their complaints to the government, seated into chairs that had been their designated spot since the beginning: earth signs and Leos on one side, Aries and air on the opposite, and Armin in between. There was a laptop at the opposite end of the table, with a blank word document opened up, ready to be used. Their work was beside it, organized in the order it what was to be typed.

“So much has gone down in here,” Sasha sighed. She had already eaten the first of the three orders she had gotten, which was starting to become less surprising to the others. “Y’know? Like I feel like we’ve all done something outrageous here.”

“Like what?” Eren asked.

“I don’t know, I mean…” Her gaze flitted across the room, to where the computer was positioned, and she started laughing. “Okay, so right before Levi and Erwin came here, Connie and I were in here alone—”

“This sounds horrible already,” Ymir scoffed as the Taurean began to giggle as well. “You really don’t have to continue.”

“No, it’s not bad!” Connie protested with a wave of his arm. “I promise!”

“This really good song came on,” Sasha continued, “and Connie’s all like ‘I know how to dance’ so I was like ‘wow, can you teach me?’ because we’re both artsy and talented, and then we danced, and I got  _ really  _ into it, and then we kissed—”

“And  _ then _ ,” he ended for her, “Erwin and Levi walked in, and Levi was all like ‘wow you’re doing this wrong’ and then we were discouraged for like, the rest of the day.”

“Wow, you’re so hetero,” Ymir mocked. “Anything else, kiddos?”

“Don’t be bitter just because the most dramatic thing that happened to you in here was getting coffee thrown on you,” Annie countered.

A majority of the room erupted into cackling laughter and shifting glances between Historia and Annie, both of whom were now looking at one another, the former in shock and the latter in teasing. “I apologized to her!” The Cap protested with a growing grin.

“I don’t think you should be talking, though,” Ymir sneered, “because I can state for a fact that everyone here has done something they shouldn’t have done in here.”

“I have done nothing, because I am an adult,” Annie stated, “and you can ask your roommate.”

The eyes in the room turned to Mikasa, who paused in thought for a moment and then shrugged. “We held hands.”

“Wow, what a scandal,” Reiner snorted. “That’s super dangerous.”

“As much of a scandal as you and Bert making out on the table?” Ymir countered.

More laughter and mocking, though this time Reiner was more embarrassed about it.

“You  _ told _ her about that?!” Bertolt exclaimed in shock and a gawk over at the Leo.

“I guess so?” He shrugged sheepishly. “I honestly can’t remember.”

“Wait, so that wasn’t a joke?” Connie whipped between both males.

“No, it happened,” Jean confirmed, along with a nod from Eren.

“Oh my God, did you guys have a foursome?” Sasha gasped.

“We walked in on them going to town on each other’s mouths,” Eren corrected, “so no.”

“But that doesn’t mean you joined them.”

“Actually—”

“If you had the choice, would you still join them in a foursome?” Connie wondered.

Both Arians shared a bewildered stare. “Okay, you know we broke up, right?” The brunet asked.

“Wait,  _ what _ ?!”

“You guys were like the dream team!” Sasha whined.

“They weren’t that great,” Annie said with a snort. “They would have done it sooner or later.”

“You always say that, and we honestly never thought about it,” Eren pondered.

“But you guys were still great!” The brunette frowned. “Why would you  _ do _ that?!”

“Ohhh, wait,” Connie nudged her and pointed over at Armin first, who had been quiet the entire time they had been there, and Marco, who sputtered behind his drink and nearly spilled it.

“I had nothing to do with them breaking up,” he protested.

“I mean, there was a little bit,” Jean winced, his shoulders raising up in a half-shrug.

The Gemini frowned. “That’s not fair! I didn’t even know that you guys  _ had _ broken up.”

“Oh really?” He turned in his chair so he could stare at him from the other end of the seating arrangement. “So you went into the library thinking I was still dating Eren?”

Any nervousness seemed to evaporate off of him, and Marco sat up a bit straighter. “Well, you were being really loud, and I figured if you were alright with it and you weren’t going to stop me, I was in the clear, so.” He started to take another sip of his drink, but the hollering his response received caused him to break into laughter that only increased when he saw Jean’s reddened face and piercing glare. “I’m sorry, but it’s true! You went in and I followed.”

“Would you have still done it if you knew we had split?” Eren wondered, giggling at the smack his ex gave his shoulder.

“I guess so, yeah. I’d do it again after this ends.”

“After what ends?” Historia wondered.

“Y’know, the meetings. The writ’s basically finished, and we don’t have anywhere else to go once this place finishes with construction.”

“You just brought the room so down,” Sasha scowled. “Thanks a lot.”

“Yeah, thanks a lot,” Connie grumbled in unison.

“You’re worrying about something that hasn’t even happened yet,” Mikasa chided to Marco.

Annie beside her shifted so that their elbows briefly touched. “It’s not like he’s pointing something out that we’ve never thought of before. Isn’t construction supposed to end right after spring break?”

“We’ll figure something out before then,” Eren assured.

“You mean the Caps will figure it out for us,” Ymir teased, smirking at Bertolt and Historia when they shot irritated glances in her direction. “Don’t look at me like you don’t believe it. You two are practically the little scorpion’s secretaries. You do everything for him!”

“Ymir, please,” was the exasperated response, but not from either of the Capricorns. Armin had been picking at his food the entire afternoon, lost in thought, but now it was untouched. His hands had been cradling his forehead for a while now, a crease of worry in his brow that hadn’t been a revealed side of him before. Normally, being in that room activated a type of shield for him to adjust and put up, one that fended anyone from seeing his true feelings on their work. And now, he was letting it down for what must have been the first time: the process of creating the writ and organizing it into parts had not been easy on him.

“What’s the matter?” Historia asked politely. Her tone of voice revealed just how concerned his behavior had been making her. “You don’t look goo—”

“I didn’t sleep.” One hand slipped down to rub at a shut eye. “I haven’t been able to in a while.”

Bertolt shared a concerned glance with her before he spoke up. “Do you want one of us to write the writ for y—”

“ _ No _ .” Armin’s eyes flicked open with the emphasized denial, a sight and sound that was unsettling yet unusual to view.

“So what’s really bugging you then?” Jean asked, leaning forward in his chair. “Because it can’t just be the Caps who did nothing wrong, right?”

A beat of silence, a reminder of his unnaturally harsh behavior, and then Eren was much closer than Armin had realized. The Arian’s hand was nearly brushing against his, their fingers merely centimeters apart. “Armin, if this has anything to do with what happened between us,” he began, but trailed off in expectation for a reply.

The Scorpio sighed, defeated, and shook his head. “No, it doesn’t, Eren,” he murmured, and glanced over at Marco, whose stare was noticeably intense but quickly glancing away. “And it’s not about you either, Marco.”

“I never said it was,” the Gemini said with a weak smile, as if to convince him and the others that he hadn’t been concerned in the first place.

“You were freaking out about it the other day,” Ymir grumbled under her breath, to which he nudged her in the gut with his elbow.

“There’s a lot going on,” Armin admitted, followed by a gulp to withstand the nausea that overcame him. “Some personal, some…just general issues. But…mostly over the writ.” No one interrupted, or asked questions, and he found himself continuing for their sake. “I was putting it together the other day, after I arranged this meeting, and I realized that this paper is the biggest mistake that we have ever made.”

“That’s ridiculous,” Sasha blurted with a giggle. “Why would we write it then?

“I don’t know…because we were misguided? We were led astray? Either way, it can’t be completed. I…I can’t do it.”

“Armin—” Eren tried to reassure him, his voice soft, but Sasha was quicker.

“Scorpios don’t give up!” She protested with a throw of her fist on the armrest of her chair. “You guys are like, the fire of the water signs!”

“Maybe that’s a reason to write this,” Jean proposed. “Not everyone shows the same characteristics or follows the same standards owned by their sign. Some people like to color outside the lines.”

“That’s so stupid—who here colored outside of the lines?!”

“You literally just told everyone that you and the bullhead danced and made out in here,” Annie retorted, ignoring the offended “hey!” from Connie. “And everyone else just had a conversation on what they’ve done here. I’m pretty sure you, and all of the people at this table, colored outside the lines and right into the other signs’ pages.”

“Is that a metaphor? Because if it is, I don’t understand it.”

“Can we focus on the real issue here?” Eren asked with a snide tone, teal eyes flashing with disdain. “Like, I don’t know, maybe why Armin is wallowing and we’ve done nothing to figure out  _ why _ ?”

“Did I ever tell you what the Caps dug up about me?” Armin wondered suddenly. His voice was cracked, as if he was trying not to break, and his eyes that were usually a blue as deep as the ocean flashed with uncertainty. The same pair flickered to the Caps with bitterness. “Bert and Tori dug it out,” he moved to Ymir, who squirmed under his gaze, “Ymir stole it,” and then he glimpsed over a seat at a flustered Gemini, “and Marco blackmailed me with it.”

“Armin, I never blackmailed you, I only asked you about it!” Marco exclaimed in fear. Hazelnut eyes darted over to Jean, who only stared back in wonder and equal confusion. “Besides, it’s not like I  _ wanted _ to. Ymir said it was the only way to get you to help me if you refused.”

“Did you lose your backbone or something?” Ymir shot back. “I told you that in faith, asshole! How  _ dare _ you throw me under the bus!”

“That’s honestly the last thing you should be worrying over,” Historia glowered at the Aquarian. “When did you steal it?”

“I got it from the Redwood’s bag when he and Rye were playing hookie that one time. Y’know, when that Smith guy came over and they were gone for like, thirty minutes and everyone thought they were making out in a closet?”

“That’s dirty.”

“But fair,” Reiner added. 

“Reiner!” Bertolt exclaimed. 

“Hide your secret shit or get wrecked, Bert!”

“They were house flippers.”

Armin’s broken declaration, weak as it was and laden with despair, finally silenced the arguments and directed the group’s attention to him. He didn’t want it, and it was made abundantly clear by the attempt to bore holes into the hands now resting in his lap with his glare. But he opened his mouth and explained his situation regardless.

“The Arlert bloodline was initially Sagittarius,” he proceeded, “but they got bored of staying within their elemental boundaries, so they started to get together with Caps instead. And for a long time, the Arlerts were Capricorn—three generations worth. But my parents decided that it was time to return to their roots when I came into the picture. And…” Armin’s smile was bittersweet, laden with self-loathing that heaved his shoulders down, “I missed the cutoff by twenty days. My parents tried to put me up for adoption, because they were so upset that I couldn’t wait three weeks, so my grandfather took me in instead. He wanted to at least keep me with family, something about knowing my origin or something. I don’t know my parents. They never tried to contact me, and I don’t know if they’re alive today or if they even remember having me. Ever since I found out the truth, the thought of looking a Capricorn in the eye and seeing the disappointment I’ve given them has been my biggest fear. Because once you betray them,” the blond glanced over at Bertolt and Historia with a look of disdain, unfamiliar to his features, “you might as well be dead.”

It took less time than he initially thought—or at least it felt that way, as he was preoccupied holding his stare with both heartbroken Caps—for a retaliation to his words.

“Armin,” Ymir uttered, “that’s not fair to them, and you know it.”

“There’s nothing fair in this world, Ymir,” he refuted. “There never has been.”

“But you don’t have to put your bad experience on their shoulders,” Reiner protested as well. “Bertolt and Historia have been with you since you first came to us with the rebellion idea. Why would they ever betray you?”

“Because isn’t that how it goes?” Armin snapped, the volume of his voice rising. “We are all the same! We don’t differ from others who share our sign! There are no gray areas between us—there never has been!”

“But what does that have to do with any of this?”

“I created a disappointment from the very second I was born, Reiner. Who’s to say I can’t cause that same disappointment if this all goes to shit?”

“You’re not the only one who fucks up bloodlines and expectations, Armin,” Historia fired back. There were tears dangling from her lashes but not falling for now. “Alma Reiss tried to kill me when she went into labor by stabbing herself in the stomach, but she ended up dying instead! Rod dropped me off in an alleyway, in the middle of January, because he was devastated and ashamed at what he had helped produce! You think twenty days is bad? Try three, because I’ve had to live with it since  _ my _ birth, and I learned that you just need to move on to people who are going to care about you! You can’t let hate-filled people dictate your life!”

Annie’s voice in low tones followed by the typing of computer keys was what had broken the silence that came from Historia’s exclamation and overall reveal. Ten pairs of eyes instantly focused at the laptop to see Mikasa typing away at what Annie was reading to her. Judging by the content, it was her portion of the writ, the first point that was to be made. The Aquarian had glanced up as a request for more to be read, but she was torn away by the attention of the room diverted to her. 

“You can keep arguing,” she said. “We didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“Are you typing the writ for us?” Jean asked.

“No, just my part.” She leaned over to glance at the pile beside her before she turned back to the computer screen. “Reiner, yours is next.”

“Oh,” was his response, surprised, and he stood up and made his way over to her.

“I’m almost done with mine, so I’ll read yours to you. Then you can read Bertolt’s”

As the first four contributions to the writ were declared and hashed out, Eren regathered Armin’s attention by pulling his chair closer to him. The Scorpio wasn’t suspecting the movement, and tensed in his chair. Eren, if he noticed, didn’t react.

“I know you’re really doubting yourself right now,” he whispered gently. He knew he was going over fragile territory and it was best to proceed as such. “And I know there’s a lot of doubt on the Caps and probably everyone else going on in your head. But you’ve done so much for us so that your plan can be a reality, and if we betrayed that now, it would ruin everything that’s been built. Why would we waste our time with you if we were only going to stab you in the back later on? Especially to those who were here longer than any of us?”

“You don’t understand,” Armin murmured back, “what I’ve gone through. You haven’t had your parents abandon you because you failed to live up to their expectations.”

“If you ran into them today, would you talk to them?”

He didn’t answer. Instead, he glared at his hand and made no attempt at responding.

Eren shifted at the lack of a reply. “I lost my parents when I was a lot older anyway. They both got really sick, and there was nothing anyone could have done to help them. And sometimes, I wonder if I could have been able to help them if I had just known what was going to happen ahead of time. But I learned that even if you lose the people who got you in this world, you don’t have the people who are going to lead you through it. Everyone who came here to help with your project is here for you, and for each other. We’re not gonna leave anyone behind, because these are the people who are gonna stay when it gets ugly. It’s all of us or none of us.”

“Eren, it’s your turn,” Annie announced, and he stood up without hesitation. He stooped down to press a soft kiss against the top of Armin’s head before he left his side. The spot tingled as he delved into his musings.

It was seeing the individuals, eleven souls who turned to revolutionaries who turned to pleasant companions one way or another, scramble together and write out the final drafts they had handed in that had Armin realizing just how much this meant to them. They had given up so much time, and read so much, and discovered truths and facts that hadn’t been real to them until his forum post invited them to a private interest meeting. They risked their freedom and their futures and their lives for a cause he proposed and led, and it would be his ultimate downfall if they were discovered. That’s how it was for any of them, together or not. But what mattered was that he was with them, they were with him, and if they went down, it would be together.

Eventually, the writ was complete except for one part. There were a few spaces above Mikasa’s portion of the writ that had been left for him to write his preamble, the final piece to the complicated puzzle. Armin knew what he had to do when eleven eyes drifted over to him and watched him stand from his seat to sit in front of the computer and write his contribution to the Writ of Division, the first paragraph that introduced the main arguments, while it was read to him from a beaming Eren. And with this, he officially sealed his fate with the best people one could start a revolutionary moment with.

A collection of triumphant cheers and a proposition of beers was what gathered them together—“one last time, just in case”—and showed Armin how they had changed from their first meeting. They mingled together across elemental and astrological boundaries, laughing and sharing jokes and conversing freely with one another.

Sasha and Connie, together, twirled around the center spotlight multiple times with giddiness and wayward walking. Ymir and Reiner tossed in their quips just as often with and to loud cackles, but were quickly soothed by a gesture or soft scold from Historia and Bertolt respectively. It wasn’t much of a surprise when the taller duo shared a kiss—after experiencing the tension between them firsthand, Armin had been expecting them to fall into those habits sooner or later. Mikasa and Annie were side by side, in separate yet jovial conversations, though their hands were intertwined behind their backs. Jean had been shyly making his way to Marco until he could wrap an arm low around his waist, bringing a blush to both and awkward stammering from the shorter that was reciprocated by a gentle kiss to the cheek. It was almost comical with how quickly Jean shot a grin at Eren, “almost” being the keyword when the latter laughed and his hand slipped into Armin’s. Their palms squeezed together for reassurance, for confirmation, for something that symbolized the future of their relationship that could turn positive. And Armin didn’t care how angry it made their government.

“You gonna be alright, ‘Min?”

“Mhm. I’ll be alright.”


	21. The Writ of Division

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just for shits and giggles

_ It was not anything particularly spectacular. But it wasn’t every day that a New York representative in Congress received something from an anonymous source. Suspicion was the first to make itself known until the contents of the paper were read by security—for protection, of course—and it was clear what was going on—or at least what had happened. It wasn’t every day one received a declaration of what the government was doing wrong in such a form as a writ, after all.  _

_ The letter went from the representative to the governor in an instant, with a sense of urgency to review the enclosed document. There was no sender, no writer, no owner stated. All that was clear was that someone, or someones, in the state of New York was unhappy with the astrological segregation that had been in place in society for years. Very few were able to ban it in their country alone. If word got out that talk of desegregation was going around in the United States, the end result would not be pleasant. _

_ The governor, when viewing the document, delivered the information to Washington DC, in a sealed and highly protected package that was to go straight to the commander-in-chief’s office and nowhere else. It was a hassle, and it was difficult to get said package to its destination, but when it finally reached it, twelve months after its initial discovery, regret could not have been more clear.  _

 

Chapter 20.5: The Writ of Division

 

It has come to the attention of the people that the actions of the government in enforcing segregation have been unlawfully committed and thrust onto the people who are undeserving of the wrongdoings performed by their heads of state. It is wrong to refer to the breaking of human rights a “tradition” that is carried on the shoulders of today’s citizens, as a tradition is a cultural aspect that is continued on for generations after its initial start. Segregation is not a tradition, but a breaking of the human spirit that can only be viewed by individuals with an open mind and an understanding of freedom. To ignore it, or to dim one’s sight to its effects, is to deny the suffering of those who have been able to see it firsthand. The existence of segregation cannot be pushed aside due to one’s own stubbornness, for that would ruin the point of a government body in the first place. As a replacement for the government’s lack of understanding, this writ focuses on the dividing factors that contribute to the segregation that has held our people down for generations in an attempt to right the wrongs done by those before us and to save those after us from the same fate that we have been confined to.

> A common form of discontent that the public has gained against segregation are a series of hate crimes performed periodically and continuously in this nation. Peaceful protests and attempts to right laws restricting freedom have resulted in violent attacks by this nation’s police force and fellow citizens, with strong assistance from the heads of our government such as ignoring the issues and covering them up from the public spotlight. The 2007 “riots” to prevent a twelve-story mall from being constructed had a death count of 100 individuals, with 157 injured and over fifty children orphaned. In  2015, more “riots” to change laws concerning the application of tattoos on individuals resulted in sixty-eight brandings, with half of those suffering having already labeled with their signs’ symbol via tattoo. The reasoning behind a hate crime in this situation is to destroy the beliefs of free thinkers who only wish for equality and reform, and who fought for those beliefs without any intent to become violent. By withholding punishment to those who did wrong to the innocent, a certain type of government is created, one that is not reliable nor trustworthy in the eyes of its citizens.
> 
> The government has long had tattooing signs at sixteen years of age as a way of recognizing who is appropriate to interact with, but it evolved into a less effective and more biased position. Legislation in the 1950s moved the tattoos from a consecutive position on the upper arms to a designated location for each sign. The President who approved of this, a Libra, purposely created the placement of certain signs’ tattoos into sensitive areas, including Pisces on the left palm, Leo on the right, and Capricorn on the neck. In addition, old-fashioned brandings performed with heated iron are still used among private, hidden clients and lawbreakers in prisons across the nation. The  2015 “riots” in New York City are an example of this, as well as the riots of 1987 in eastern California that resulted in the destruction of an entire neighborhood. From the moment of their establishment, labeling an individual, just as a notorious dictator’s had done in the 1940s, has done nothing but divide our society further than any law could. By publicly and visibly labeling a person to reveal what their sign is has drawn us in more to ourselves and has created a pre-established expectation of judgment for the tattoo that is put on our bodies without consent or choice before a judgement of character is established.
> 
> One of the most basic recognitions of our government’s wrongs is the discrimination that we as a nation are familiar with. From the start of colonization of the pre-United States, it was against the Native Americans. As time grew, it included other minority races beneath the whites: African Americans, Latinx, and Asian-Americans, to name a few. Religions, specifically Judaism and Islam, have been included into this group, followed by the LGBTQ community. In terms of the law, it is wrong to discriminate against another for whatever restriction can be held against them. However, the astrological segregation that has been inherited into our law system from Europe has remained present and persistent in affecting every individual’s lives, a feat that has not been taken on by our government in its entire establishment. This type of discrimination is held up by labeling individuals with tattoos, high restraints on marriage, loose protection for children, segregation of goods and service, and an expectation from society to stay in place, whether it be in your own element or as much as one’s own sign. In all the times that discrimination has been around, no matter who it focuses on, it is labeled by the future generations as a blunder in our history. The longer it sticks around, the higher the disappointment, the higher the chances of infamy on those who do nothing to change it.
> 
> Marriage has become a fundamental right to a citizen that is enjoyed and celebrated by many, acting as a symbol for family-building and secure homes for years. A marriage that did not last until death as vowed results in divorce. In 1955, part of a series of laws that are still around today, divorce between married individuals was outlawed and forbidden, as a way to enforce the perfect family image. As a result, with statistics from the census, the rate of marriages has declined, with each year increasing in record-lows. Marriage is a choice that two individuals agree to, making a promise to spend their lives together. If it fails to carry through for whatever reason, those two individuals have the right to end it. By letting the relationship suffer without the bonds contained at the time of marriage destroys the family persona previously ingrained into the people involved. The suicides of Molly and Jamie Downing, with proof from their suicide notes that their deaths were a result of their parents’ inability to divorce and the growing strains of the perfect family image, is a reasonable example of this statement. Marriage should not have devastating statistics and results because of a law that forbids someone from removing themselves from an unpleasant situation. It is more alike to the government’s attempts of combining church and state together than the government’s attempts of being a just system.
> 
> The growing rate of abandoned or orphaned children due to astrological segregation has shown dramatic growth in the past twenty-five years, a majority of them being newborns. For a short time, from 1922 until the segregation laws of the 1950s, children under the age of eighteen who were either adopted or in the foster care system were allowed to live with families regardless of sign. The Replacement Act of 1956 forbade this, and several children were put back into orphanages, no matter how secure they had been in their new homes. Some states have been given the chance to tweak these laws, such as a number of northern states, which have allowed orphaned children ten and under to have homes without any relation to their sign. Unfortunately, this is not the case across the nation. From what can be gathered by the laws established, the government would rather have children living in orphanages than in stable homes with families willing to keep them in their care. Why such measures have been taken to ensure this is unclear. On the other hand, what is known is that the situation of segregation by astrological signs has become so strong and so huge that the situations of orphaned children has become compromised. It should not be a debate where a child lives as long as they have a roof over their heads and endless love to give. What matters is that they have the chance to be taken care of by a family that wants to care for them, regardless of their birthdates.
> 
> In 1958, a bill was passed and became law that solidified segregation amongst signs. As a result, our nation was forced into a struggle of balancing racial segregation on top of the astrological boundaries. Schools, parks and select stores were separated based on element. Hospitals, hotels, and banks are some of the services forced to create and use time slots on when a certain sign could contact these locations or make an appointment. The problem has escalated to the point where society itself is forbidden from interacting directly with anyone who does not have a shared sign or element. The Civil Rights Era broke down the identical racial boundaries, but at a cost that there would still be placement for astrological signs. Those laws are still in place today, and there have been no attempts to repair the damage they have done. By setting up locations for the people to use and live based on their dates of birth, the government is sending a message that equality is only for select circumstances, and astrological signs is not included. Counting the times that separate but equal has benefitted society, it is a wonder how it has been allowed to continue for so long. There is no positive purpose that segregation provides. If there was, water fountains and bathrooms would still have “colored” signs above them.
> 
> A basic human right to happiness comes in the form of marriage. Throughout our nation’s history, it has evolved and permitted individuals to marry outside of race and sex. And just like the pushes for approval then, the need to fight for marriage equality once again makes its way known. The benefits to this cause are several and not uncommon to the needs made in previous movements: placement in last wills and testaments, visitation rights, and home ownership, among many more overwhelming situations. This is not an established law in connection to 1950s segregation. It is a continuously resisted law as old as the European countries whom had previously established it. Marriage should not be a select right to a handful of people. In 1999, a couple in Montana were married despite the differing signs: Aries and Sagittarius. They had three children already, with one on the way, but they did not live more than a week. In retaliation to their breaking the law, a group of rioters decided to take matters in their own hands and slaughtered the entire family, all because of a ceremony that wed two people together. Marriage should be a happy occasion where any individual can enjoy themselves by binding their lives with another in matrimony. Everyone deserves that chance, and to restrict it is to betray the entire meaning behind the notion.
> 
> The people are one of the most important factors to a government body. Without them, there is no one to govern over or to gain support from. Over the years, our government hasn’t been active with its involvement in their lives, and it shows. Media, specifically the news, is only focused on covering up stories that fail to show support for the government. In 2015, a riot to prevent the tattooing of astrological symbols resulted in over sixty brandings. There was no mention of this unfortunate event in any news, local or nationwide, and those people’s hardships are forever covered up for no reason. If the government cannot support its people, it has no right being in action. And if the people in power cannot participate for the people of their country over their own gain, then they lose the right to be in power in the first place. This is especially important to the upbringing and support of a democracy, a government system designed for the people. Shutting them out takes out the democracy and the voice of the people to be heard in that nation. They make up a country with a voice, and taking it away isn’t going to help anyone but the people at the top. If they are not heard, then they are not being cared for. And if they are not being cared for, they are not living. And if they are not living, there is no use for the government to exist.
> 
> The children of this world are the ones who will inherit and work in the world we will leave behind in our wake. Their wellbeing and overall care should be at the forefront of our attention, but only select circumstances are receiving attention. An issue that families face today is the removal of a child from a house they are blood-related to. In a hypothetical situation, parents with the same sign have a child that shares neither the element nor the sign of said parents. Instead of being raised in this household, they are forcibly taken from their homes and given a low chance of being adopted via orphanage. The intervention of child services shall not force a child away from the parents unless a true crime is being committed. Human rights are not crimes, even if our current government refers to them in this way. And because our government refers to human rights as crimes, by increasing the risk of having a family’s child raised in their household, therefore disobeying the people, there is room for rebellion. Children are not meant to be traded or compromised in this way. Their biggest concerns should be things that mean little to us now but are the world to them. And separating families should not be actions taken by anyone, let alone our very own government, to disrupt this.
> 
> Certain actions of individuals cannot be stopped. Awareness can be brought to these situations, but it is actions taken to prevent them from occurring that are most important. The most convenient way to see this is by considering the rate of child abandonments through the last fifty years. Not every child born with signs that do not match their biological parents is handed over to child services or an adoption agency. Some adults, for whatever personal reason they may have, have been notorious for contributing to this alarming and surprising statistics. 87% of the four thousand children and counting that are abandoned die before they are rescued and properly cared for. It is a difficult feat to prevent all wrong actions in the world, like stopping world hunger or child abandonment for example. However, this will mean that it falls to the responsibility of the governing body to create consequences. Children are held up by earlier generations who will eventually move aside for the children they supported to usher in the next age. By relinquishing support for children abandoned by their biological parents, the government discourages the 13% who survived off the streets somehow from stopping their lowering numbers and the growing deaths. It is not in the power of the government to bring down its people and fail to support the upcoming generations.
> 
> The laws of our government are unfortunately sustained by a number of violations to basic rights. Marriage contains several benefits that some couples receive. Select children, the ones who are born on dates they could not help but still kept to their family’s sign, are supported well. The amount of discrimination and hate that boils among people who are far from being properly supported by their government does not help anyone. And we are forced to walk with a colorful brand on our bodies, some easy to hide and others painfully obvious. It is difficult to pinpoint when these law started to get out of hand. It has exceeded past the Americas and through an endless stream of European history. Although that continent was successful enough to tone it down, some abolishing astrological segregation entirely, it was not enough to prevent the American continent from suffering. The end result is a government that lies to its people, feeding them covered stories and false information while raising the stakes of having a child and a one in twelve chance of getting married. They risk discrimination and have a high chance of becoming branded by their government, a government which does not deserve power. The law of the land is not a toy that can be played with until it breaks. It is a serious case of guidelines that must be understood and followed faithfully, or else there is no need for such a system to be in place.


	22. Onwards

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All things must come to an end, and sometimes, things that were wrong turn out alright.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh man. The last chapter. I have been waiting for this day. I really hope you enjoy this.

_ It was with a well-thought-out compromise (the original household buying supplies whenever the new one patched up the rundown home) that Rene finally agreed to help them out. In order to create said home to live in, however, it took a gradual gathering of supplies for the abandoned house up the road to become suitable to live in, much less for four people. It took a year for everything to be bought in terms of building supplies, as most of the interior belongings were given to them by their five other companions. The return of winter delayed their work, but as soon as it was gone or clear enough, they got right back to work. At the very least, the weather change brought attention to other issues, such as electricity and hot water. Getting Rene’s family, thankfully all Cancers, to buy the decrepit house and supply the utilities was easier than initially believed. It helped them when spring returned again, with a new house that was finally ready to be lived in. _

_ To celebrate the occasion, and to commemorate the move to their new home, Rene proposed champagne and snacks when they finally got settled in. Their day was an appropriate spring afternoon, and they were willing to spend the day out back, on the porch they had fixed up and successfully made usable. There were only two hours until they started, and their friends from up the road would be joining them at any minute. _

_ But that was before Petra woke up and discovered a strange type of content, a relaxation that she couldn’t remember feeling for anything before. She took up the entire morning trying to figure it out, to piece together what had been going on to bring her to that conclusion. The only thing she could boil it down to was that she had finally become accustomed to this lifestyle: hiding from the government and living on scams and online sales. And she couldn’t seal off her fate to this life so quickly. _

_ The boys she had lived with for the past two years would know something was wrong if she expressed it wordlessly. And her failure to recognize it was evidence enough that she would not be ready to talk about it with them. At least it helped that Eld and Gunther were too focused on preparing their new home to pay attention to anything else. Auruo was another reason, as he always had been. His self-awareness for Petra had grown since Levi’s betrayal and her injury, which was nothing more than a scar and a cringe in remembrance for them now. When she went outside to clean the deck but never returned, taking a seat on the deck steps leading to the yard instead, Auruo ventured outside and sat beside her silently. He understood boundaries and let the quiet brush of spring flow around them, a moment of pondering and silent support, before she finally spoke up.  _

_ “This morning I woke up and didn’t feel like I was hiding,” she began. The Cap didn’t turn to her, but gently entwined their hands together. She squeezed it tightly in response. “It was like I had already accepted my fate and wasn’t going to live up to anything else. Like I’m trapped and not ever going to accomplish anything beyond this.” She turned to him when he didn’t say anything to her, eyes distant. It was a look she was quickly becoming used to. As snarky and cranky as he could be, his attitude was noticeably dimmer than what she was initially accustomed to. “What did you want to do after you graduated college?” _

_ Auruo finally made eye contact with her, as brief as it ended up being, and the misty gaze she received chilled her skin. “Something in journalism, maybe,” he murmured. “I don’t really think about it anymore.” _

_ “Why not?” _

_ “Because I’ve accepted this as the best I’m going to get. And if that’s how it is, then…” He bit the inside of his cheek as he trailed off. “It’s how it is.” _

_ “And you’re…okay with this?” How could he act so nonchalant about this? Any other day, he would be the one fretting and plagued with concern or doubt while she soothed him with gentle tones and warm embraces. _

_ Auruo shrugged. “I have you. That’s all I can ever really need.” _

_ “Oh.” That changed her perspective. A warm tingling spread through her chest at the confession, a reminder of what she had—which wasn’t much in the first place. There was the house they now lived in, but everything inside had been Rene’s due to an excess of furniture. When she got down to it, there was nothing here that was concrete. All she had were the three males who helped create their home, people she had gone through so much with and who were going to be by her side no matter what. At least that fact was reassuring and not as painful to think about. _

_ “But if you’re not happy,” the Cap continued, “then I can’t be either.” _

_ “Don’t say that,” she chided softly as she turned to face him better. “There’s no reason for you to feel like that.” _

_ “It’s too late. I’ve already decided.” _

_ “Don’t make me nag you.” _

_ “C’mon, Ra, you and I both know I’d do anything for you. Anything you want, I’m in.” Auruo paused in his talking to look around for something nearby, grabbed her sweater thrown across the table behind them, and tossed it over her head. “Chilly? I got you.” _

_ She let out a soft laugh as she folded the light jacket up and placed it aside. _

_ “You have some freaky kink I don’t know about?” _

_ “Auruo!” _

_ “I’m just saying, I’ll try it for you!” _

_ “You’re terrible.” _

_ Auruo dropped down to the step in front of her, unable to keep his grin contained or the quiet ripples of laughter that melted with hers. “If you wanna leave and go hang out with the goats in Switzerland, I wouldn’t mind doing that either.” _

_ Petra rolled her eyes and scoffed. “Oh come on.” _

_ “I mean it. Eld and Gun can stay here and live the hippie life they’ve always wanted. We’ll send them postcards from all the cool places we’ve been to.” _

_ “And all the weird food we’ve eaten.” _

_ “Like snails and beetles.” _

_ “Or haggis.” _

_ “God, no—what the hell are you thinking, Ral?” _

_ Petra only smiled at his protest and gently pressed her lips to his for a brief kiss. When she pulled back, Auruo dipped forward with his own series of pecks that led down from her forehead to her lips to her jaw. _

_ “It’s gonna be hard,” he whispered against her neck, hot puffs of air that were almost reassuring, “but that’s okay, because I’m gonna be here through that shit. Even if this whole thing blows up in our faces. You have at least one good thing.” _

_ “I know I do.” She nuzzled close to him before she embraced him. The soft kiss against her right shoulder, where her tattoo had once been, reminded her that there was nothing holding her back from living how she wanted. This was their chance to live happily, together, even if it wasn’t a completely ideal situation. They would be going through it together, and that was important to remember. “Thank you.” _

_ They stayed still for a few more minutes, simply enjoying each other’s company before Auruo returned to her side. This time, they stayed close to each other, knees knocking together and shoulders brushing. “I would say we can go back inside and finish cleaning so that Nanaba doesn’t have to freak over the mess,” the Cap said with a small grimace, “but I think Eld and Gunther are busy.” _

_ “What makes you say that?” Petra asked, and a single point led her to examine the sock that hung from the back door’s knob. She snorted at the sight. “They’ve done most of the work today. They need it.” _

_ Auruo shot her a glare. “Are you saying I did nothing?” _

_ “You sat outside and talked to your girlfriend the entire time, so yeah.” _

_ “Sounds terrible. I should break up with her.” _

_ “You can’t, because she already broke up with you.” _

_ “That’s rude.” _

_ “That’s life.” _

_ Auruo shoved her, nearly sending her toppling off the step, but her elbow dug back into his side with just as much force. They eventually rolled off the deck’s stairs to land on the grass and lay on top of (and make out with) one another, and when their guests arrived, they were left alone. After all, they were going through the unimaginable hand in hand, supporting each other along the way. _

 

Chapter 21: Onwards

 

_ One month later _

“Carnations are a Spanish thing, right?”

Bertolt glanced up when the door opened, his date standing in his doorway, and failed to hold back a laugh at the disheveled blond hair and the bouquet of flowers in hand. Reiner had been insisting for two weeks, after Bertolt’s passion for international dishes was revealed in a stay-at-home date with German cuisine, that he cook from another side of his family tree. The Hoovers were an unusual family in terms of ethnicity, one side predominantly German and the other Mexican. It had only come up because Reiner liked the sound of Spanish coming off his tongue, which was painfully obvious enough thanks to the smitten sighs and love struck smiles, but it led to him admitting a love for authentic Mexican cuisine. There wouldn’t have been much reluctance either way; Bertolt enjoyed cooking, especially when he grew up with the dishes and was given their recipes from family members. And if there was an attempt to make his boyfriend happy, he was willing to go all the way for him.

“You can find carnations anywhere, I guess,” the Cap said as he placed another plate on the table. Reiner shrugged off his jacket, shutting the door behind him with a swift kick. “But they’re not just for Spain, you know.”

Reiner scowled faintly, though the curious glances at the plates and the overall joy in his eyes remained. “I knew I shouldn’t have listened to Sasha.”

“Someone who actually thought I used dinosaur eggs to make her an omelet last week? Maybe not all the time.” Bertolt noticed that the flowers were a deep red, almost burgundy, and he wondered if the meaning was lost to the Leo. He took the bouquet gingerly and pecked Reiner’s cheek with a soft smile. “But they were a good choice.”

The blond nearly puffed out his chest, and responded with a quick tug and a pull to press them closer together. This time, their lips met, soft yet passionate, a sigh of relief that they could finally spend time together without interruptions or possible repercussions. As much as they enjoyed being in a relationship, and as much as the L-word had scattered in their minds but off their tongues, it was still frowned upon, especially with how noticeable their tattoos were. They had to tiptoe around their apartments, schedule dates like secret missions, and with spring making its way back around, it would be more difficult than ever.

“Tori gone for the night?” Reiner mumbled against his lips, nuzzling against him when Bertolt tightened his embrace.

“Mhm, she and Ymir are doing another date off their bucket list,” he whispered back. His fingertips traced patterns against his skin, and he smiled at the near purr that came out. “Romantic candlelit dinner and a walk on the beach.”

The Leo snorted, and a deep rumble of laughter rose from his chest. “Possibly the most cliche date ever.”

Bertolt smiled at that. Ever since Historia had agreed to “try” and date Ymir, her happiness and overall attitude had improved drastically. Some days, it seemed like she was floating on air, and her contagious smiles were more consistent now. She glowed with this newfound happiness that she carried around with her freely. He knew that Ymir had actually managed to prove herself, but mentioning it to his roommate only earned him a denial every time.

“They’re not coming back, right?”

“You always ask that. It was only one time.”

“That’s already too many times.”

“You weren’t the one without pants on.”

“Hey, I had no problem with that.”

“Are you seriously going to go there—” Bertolt grabbed onto Reiner’s wrists, preventing them from moving any further up his shirt. However, with the blond smiling gleefully at him, and the overall playfulness of the atmosphere, he only ended up laughing in tune with him. “Reiner, wait until dinner.”

“Speak Spanish to me and I’ll consider waiting.”

He wasn’t exactly fluent in Spanish, so Bert could technically say whatever he wanted, right? “ _ Mi amor, tu hueles a inodoro. _ ”

The same purr from before transformed into a guttural growl, and Reiner gently led him backwards until he was against the wall. “What does it mean?”

On second thought, maybe if he told the truth, he could get out of this. It wasn’t that he didn’t want this—because he very much did and the growing heat in his lower half was proof of that—but he had just made dinner and he didn’t want it to go cold. “You smell like a toilet.”

Reiner’s frown brought out a laugh from him until he found himself above ground and held up by a pair of sturdy arms. A shocked gasp broke free of his lips at the sudden loss of ground beneath his feet. So maybe any type of Spanish, even when teasing him, was good Spanish to his ears. He would have to keep note of that fact.

“I thought you wanted Mexican.”

“I do. I’m gonna have two servings.” He winked to confirm his innuendo, and Bertolt could have slapped him there for it. (Though in all honesty, it wasn’t a surprise that it was coming from him.)

“Reiner—”

“Five minutes,” he requested, his face hovering above the slight bulge jutting from the taller’s pants. Bertolt’s cheeks flared, especially from how close his mouth was getting, and his hands reached down to card through blond strands. The action caused Reiner to pause and let his eyes shut, not unlike a cat. “Give me five minutes and then we can eat.”

Their positions were extremely risky; there was a high possibility of him falling onto the floor below. But other than that, what harm was five minutes? He could do that—and it wasn’t an entire burden. He was going to enjoy it regardless of how much time they had. “Five minutes,” he agreed, but his eyes narrowed. “But as soon as we get to the bedroom, I’m in charge.”

Hazel eyes flashed with arousal, and his fingers stumbled with eagerness to unbutton the pants in front of him. “Yes, sir!”

Five minutes was definitely going to be worth it. 

* * *

Historia would never admit it to anyone, regardless of who they were, but if there was one thing certain, it was that Ymir had brought something—a feeling, raw and throbbing—to her that she had not been able to feel for a while. The first few dates, not counting the night of their agreement to see each other, had been relatively alright, aside from the Aquarian’s snide remarks and overall awfulness that Historia concluded was just a defensive measure. She knew that Ymir was not a bad person when she met Melvin the bunny, and found out the reason why she had him in the first place. That was when everything, not just bits and pieces, became clear to her: Ymir cared, in a way that was funny because of its unusual nature but in a way that was genuine and of her own accord.

It was then that they made what they referred to as the bucket list of dates. Together, they crafted where the best venues were for dinner or the best locations to walk that caused the least suspicion. One option, which they referred to as “the cliche dates of all cliches,” involved a romantic candlelit dinner and a walk on the beach, the latter which took a while to find that would secure their safety. Ymir still covered her tattoo just in case, with a claim she could pass as a Gemini as well as she could pass for straight.

“You couldn’t pass for straight if you tried,” Historia teased as they took their seats in the restaurant.

“Watch me,” Ymir smirked, the possibility of a challenge flashing in her eyes, and when their waiter came back, she laid down a charming persona so quickly and so accurately, Historia was sure she wasn’t the only one attracted by it.

The atmosphere at dinner was just as cheesily romantic as they had suspected, their legs tangling together under the table. Ymir tried to steal bites from her pasta, and Historia was almost successful in tasting a sip of her wine, but it still rounded off to a nice night. Thankfully, the weather was nice enough when they left the restaurant for them to continue their date with a walk on the beach. Their hands tangled together, their shoes held in the other hand, and they stumbled against the sand and along the water.

“I think the waiter at the restaurant was into you,” Historia pointed out, swinging their entwined hands.

Ymir laughed at that, “Yeah, but I think he caught us kissing when we were leaving.”

“Still worth it. But you didn’t pass for straight.”

“I flirted with the waiter and made him walk into a wall because he wouldn’t stop staring! I think that counts as a win!”

“Yeah, but you didn’t convince me.”

“Good, so you can keep on dating.”

Historia scoffed and responded with a shove of her own. They walked a bit more, chatted and joked, until Ymir halted and tossed her shoes aside. Before she could ask, the Aquarian’s jacket was being tossed over her shoulders, and Historia snuggled into it upon instinct. It was still warm from its usage, even if it was a few sizes bigger.

“You looked cold,” Ymir murmured. There was an unusual tint to her cheeks that wasn’t normally present. “So I wanted to…fix it. So I did it. I, I fixed it.”

The Capricorn took a soft whiff of the jacket and laughed under her breath. “It smells expensive.”

“Shut up, I wanted to smell nice, and look nice, and…” She fumbled with her hands before she took Historia’s and squeezed. “I like you a lot. I can’t remember liking someone this much, Tori. It makes my head hurt, a-and my hands get all clammy—”

“I can tell.”

Ymir chuckled, but bit her lip and dipped down to peck her forehead. “It’s unbelievable what you do to me. And I know—trust me, I  _ know _ —that I am not the easiest person to get along with. But I owe you so much for giving me a chance, I don’t see myself ever being able to repay you.”

Historia returned the taut grip, running her thumb along the top. “I see now that there was never any reason to doubt you. You’re not as terrible as you make yourself out to be, you know.”

“But I still suck, just a little.”

“No, you don’t, and you know it. You just want people to believe that you do so that they won’t get attached to you. And it’s too late to try it on me again, because I’m here for good.”

Ymir’s smile grew until it was splitting, and then she dove in and brought their lips together. Her hands wound up in blonde hair as Historia tried her best to match up to the height by stretching on her toes. Perhaps they would never get a proper chance to marry, or live together at the very least, and their dating only put them at a higher risk of getting caught. But with the water lapping at their feet and Ymir’s lips tasting like cherry lip balm, there wasn’t much to regret, now or ever.

“I love you.”

Historia’s stomach flipped, and she had to move away to gasp and steady her breathing to answer. “I love you too.”

They silenced one another before anything further could be said. Their kissing got sloppier, needier, rushed hands grasping against skin. “There’s a spot a few feet away,” Ymir’s lips trailed up as she spoke to nibble under her jawline, “where no one will find us.”

“How come we’re not there already?” Historia wondered in a low voice before she was scooped up like a bride, cradled against Ymir’s chest. Her smile was wider than ever, and she wound her arms around her neck.

“Let me escort you there, my love.”

And all the while, giggling and kissing and stumbling, she found no room or reason for complaint.

* * *

“Hey. I thought I would find you here.”

Annie briefly glanced up from her dog’s return with a ball to fix her stare on Mikasa. The corgi, upon seeing the now familiar face, barked happily and tried to stand on her hind legs in greeting. The Aquarian greeted her by kneeling to her level to give a few pats and a smile. Annie strode over to her, noting that the icy blue mark of Aquarius was hidden under a hooded jacket. She hadn’t been in the dog park for long, as part of her weekly routine with her dog for fresh air and a break. A few hours out there always helped to clear her mind and replenish her energy. 

“Were you actively looking for me, or just passing through?” She wondered.

Mikasa avoided a lick to the face to look back at her girlfriend. “Both. But I don’t have a dog, so it looks weird to walk through a dog park.” Annie snorted at that, causing Mikasa to stand back up and kiss her lips tenderly. It was a taste she hadn’t gotten used to, a tingling in her gut she would never be able to fully comprehend. And the ear-splitting happiness was something that was unrivaled by anything else. “I missed you.”

Annie broke away from her gaze to clip her dog’s collar back to the leash. “I saw you yesterday.”

“But I still missed you.” Mikasa caressed her cheek, gentle and slow as the tips of her fingers traced along her jawline. As nice as it was, and as much as she too had missed her, the Arian couldn’t help but wonder what this was all about. “Fourteen hours is a long time.”

“Are you always this honest?”

“Only for you.”

The corgi tugged at the leash, and the duo was forced to walk down the path she led them. Their hands found each other, but Annie didn’t entangle their fingers just yet. She wanted to know what was up.

“A couple days ago, Ymir and Historia had their cliche beach date,” Mikasa stated. 

“I heard,” Annie nodded. “Tiny blondes tell each other everything.”

“Tiny blondes plus one. According to Jean, Connie gets upset when you guys leave him out.”

“Well, according to Jean, Rousseau is not a reliable source, and the Roman Empire is a piece of shit.”

“Touché.” A ghost of a smile appeared on Mikasa’s features, a small afterthought. “But you already know that Ymir really made it clear that she loves Historia. Right?”

“Historia dances more around her relationship out of embarrassment than Bertolt does. But yeah, that’s what I gathered.”

Mikasa suddenly stopped, and Annie followed suit, her leashed pet skirting around their feet. Thunderstorm gray flashed with determination and sincerity, a familiar look that overcame the Aquarian whenever she got serious. “If I told you I felt something like that for you, what would you say?”

It wasn’t exactly a surprise, because the concept of the L-word had danced around inside her head for a few days now. But if this was as indirect as they could get without coming off too strong, she would take it. “I would say the same. I would say that I like you like that too. And that you make me feel…” she hesitated on the word, already expecting the reaction she would get, “you make me feel happy.”

Mikasa’s eyebrows cocked up, and Annie was already regretting her word choice before her smile was there. Someone who preferred a stoic exterior couldn’t be happy, she supposed.

“Don’t let your ego flare up,” she jeered as she proceeded to walk again, though her tone was full of jest. “It’s only because you asked me. I’m not repeating myself ever again.”

“That’s okay,” Mikasa hummed as she joined her again, “because your eyes already tell me everything.”

“You cheesy, romantic piece of shit. I wanna make out with you so hard right now.”

“Get to the car then. I walked all the way over here for you and I’m impatient.”

“You pitiful thing. Let’s put you down so you can’t suffer anymore.”

“As long as it’s going down on you, I’m okay with it.”

“Disgusting.”

Their hands finally intertwined, palm to palm, and the smiles never left their faces. It might not have been the ideal scenario, walking through a dog park on a Monday, but at least the moment was theirs.

* * *

“You got this?”

“Uh-huh— _ whoa _ , never mind, nope.”

“It’s okay, just grab my arms!”

The sight was almost comical: children and families and couples skirted around them with almost impeccable skills. Some of the kids were smaller than Connie, others close or over his height. And yet the way they moved on the hardwood floor in rollerskates was nothing compared to his struggling limbs. He had only done this once, for his best friend’s birthday party, but that was twelve years ago. He was nearing twenty-three years—his birthday was coming up in May—and he couldn’t even balance enough on rollerskates to take a lap around the rink. And somehow, Sasha had definitely outdone him with that skill set.

His hands were firmly snuggled into the crooks of her elbows as she helped guide him steadily down one side of the track. It would have been humiliating if she didn’t fall with him, or stumble when he did, even though it was on purpose. Her smile never faltered either, bright and reassuring, so it was impossible to even fake his mirrored reaction.

“How are you so good at this?” Connie asked. She slowly backed away so that he could skate on his own, but returned to catch him when his leg gave out and he lurched forward. “Did you take steroids or something?”

“Don’t be silly,” Sasha laughed. “When I was a kid, there was a roller derby team at the rec center, and the Girl Scouts kicked me out because I ate all the cookies. I had to do  _ something _ .”

She was the woman of his dreams. Connie had decided on it when they got in a fight with the store manager of a candy shop over the weight and price of a bag of gummy worms. They had to go to CVS, in the end, but they sat on the curb and made a town for their snacks out of Kit-Kat bars, and the events of that night had created a surge of confessions he hadn’t even prepared for. They were saying the L-word long before Historia and Ymir had uttered it. They shared a Dr. Pepper in celebration, and then parked in the back of the store to have discreet car sex.

Connie’s feet once again failed to keep him up, and his weight dipped into Sasha’s arms. It wasn’t much, but it was unexpected, and the two of them ended up falling down either way. The Leo was already in giggles by the time he scrambled to his knees and was by her side. “Shit, you okay?”

“I’m fine!” She assured him with a pat to his head, and he helped her sit up. When they were close enough, Sasha scooted closer so that he was kneeling between her legs and she was able to kiss him without hesitation. It was common in most romantic relationships to kiss and hug and share affection, but with her, it was multiplied. She showered him in touches all over, from his tummy to his face to his hands, even to the tattoo on his shoulder. And each time, it was a wave of satisfaction like nothing else.

“You wanna get some tacos?” She whispered against his lips. The amount that she was worth, he was nowhere near as valuable or deserving. How could he ever be?

The duo got off of the court and to a free bench so they could remove their skates. Sasha helped wheel him along, holding his hand and smiling at him. Everything about her was amazing, and his breath was gone every time she so much as blinked. He was smitten with her.

“This one time,” she began while untying her skates’ laces, “during a roller derby competition, I knocked a girl out with my elbow and we had to stop the game for ten minutes to see if she was alive. And then, in tenth grade, she ended up being my lab partner and we became best friends. She’s making me the maid of honor at her wedding.”

“Am I good enough for you?” He blurted out, his eyes flashing up to stare at her. He hoped it didn’t look too desperate, or sound so sad, or with so much longing. He just wanted to be happy, with her and the reassurance that he was enough. 

Sasha’s gaze was one of confusion as she stopped tugging a skate off to gawk at him. “What do you mean ‘good enough’? You helped me free a possum from a take-out box and then bought us the family size Chinese order for dinner. Of the three boyfriends I’ve had, they couldn’t even do that without pissing or puking. And one of them is still in the closet!”

“I don’t mean it like that.” The Taurean scooted over to her and slumped against her. “You’re an amazing warrior princess, and I’m like the jester guy with a funny hat and no dignity.”

“Yeah, but I  _ want _ the jester guy with the funny hat, because he’s the best person  _ ever _ . He understands me better than anyone else ever could. Except maybe Reiner. But he doesn’t count, because he’s gay and he’s like my brother. And even that can’t match the awesome guy I’m into.”

“Is that me? Because if it’s not, this is gonna be awkward.”

“Of course it’s you. Who else would it be?”

“The handsome prince who smells like apples and has a pretty smile?”

“The handsome prince who smells like apples and has a pretty smile is into the horse rancher who lies about bleaching his hair. Plus, the prince is a Gemini, and nobody wants that.”

Connie broke into a fit of giggles at the references, his grin expanding when Sasha joined in. “I see what you did there.”

“There really is no one else, Con. You’re the only one I wanna date in the entire courtyard.”

“Aww, Sash. That’s the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me as a metaphor.”

They shared a kiss and nuzzled together, his head resting against her shoulder. She reached down to tug his hands to hers, and then pressed a kiss against his temple. “I love you.”

“I love you mostest.”

“Shouldn’t I be worrying over you though? Because of your smallness?”

“I thought you liked my smallness.”

“I do! Even if it’s your penis.”

“Sashaaaa!”

The Leo burst out laughing, swaying in tune with him as she hugged him. “I’m kidding, I’m kidding!”

“You better be,” Connie huffed with a smirk, “or else I’m not buying you tacos.”

“I’ll buy my own tacos!”

“Oh yeah? You and what money?!”

“Ouch. Touché, Springer.”

They eventually got around to buying the tacos, and then made their way back to his house so they could binge the latest show on Netflix. All the while, Connie felt his heart soar above and beyond with each laugh and each smile she gave.

* * *

**To: Idiot  
** _ SOS _

**From: Idiot  
** _?? _

**To: Idiot  
** _ help me he went to the bathroom and idk what to do next _

**To: Idiot  
** _ i havent been on a date in so long what did we do on these things _

**From: Idiot  
** _ y r u asking me? just wait for him _

**To: Idiot  
** _ what do i do after he comes back _

**From: Idiot  
** _ dude jus play it cool and do wat uve been doin _

_ I hate him _ , Jean decided as he pocketed his phone and resisted the urge to drag his fingers through his hair.  _ I hate my roommate. _

Since the writ had been sent in and their meetings were resolved, Jean and Marco had decided that they would start dating. There was some sort of mutual interest that they held for one another, despite the brief period of tension they had endured, and it never hurt to try and make it work. And after talking things through to come to a conclusion, neither regretted what had gone down between them, even if some of the things they had done or said warranted a bitter taste on their tongues. Nevertheless, they started seeing one another, and they progressed more than they could have imagined. It wasn’t hard to get along; they were both history majors with similar focuses, working on their doctorates. Not to mention their opposing personalities, which canceled each other out. They certainly were doing well as friends. So there was no reason for Jean to be fidgeting so much, even if this was their first fancy date, right?

_ No, you idiot, you have every reason to be afraid: he’s outta your league, you’re not even in the same country—hell, didn’t he say he had foreign parents? _

Marco was the type of person who went out of his way to help the elderly cross the street. He smiled without hesitation or struggle and brought a warm, raw energy to any atmosphere he walked into. And when he wanted to flirt, oh man, did he know how to use his body and his words to make Jean’s veins flare with want. How could one person be so attractive and so out of his league?

“Back!” said Gemini exclaimed as he sat back down across from Jean and broke him out of his train of thought, only to lead him crashing into a new one. Of course Marco knew how to work a simple suit. It must have been tailored, seeing as it accented every curve or dip in his body, specifically and admiringly in the back.

“H-hey,” he greeted, instantly clearing his throat and his mind of his previous thoughts.  _ Pull yourself together, Kirschtein, be cool. _ “Do you like seafood?”

Marco bit his lip as he pondered on it, and shrugged. “It’s not my favorite, but it’s alright. Why?”

“Oh—just wondering. The menu has, ah, calamari, and I remembered you mentioned you were Italian.”  _ Shit, or was that not him? _ “You  _ are  _ Italian, right?”

“Last time I checked, yeah.” He smiled—jeez, this guy was too much,  _ it’s just squid _ —and peeked at the menu. “How much is it?”

It was courteous to pay the check for one’s date, right? And Jean had already concluded long ago that he was going to pay. He just hadn’t said it out loud. “Don’t worry about the prices. I got it.”

Marco was shaking his head instantly, his expression unwavering. “No, you’re not.”

Niceness be damned, Jean wasn’t going to have this argument. “Yes, I am. It’s not a problem.”

“It’s not a problem for me, either.”

“Look, I know you’re practically a saint and all, but you can’t hog all the good deeds for yourself.”

With a shake of his head, the freckled male opened his mouth to counter that, and he could have won the argument right there if the waiter hadn’t stopped by and taken their orders. They ordered their entrées, as well as some calamari to share. Marco winked at him across the table, and Jean dug his nails into his palm to steady his thumping heart.

“We’ll split it,” Marco concluded.

Jean snorted. “I get the bigger half.”

“I’m not going to fight over a dinner check with a man who thinks Voltaire is the greatest philosopher from the Enlightenment.”

“Hey now,” he jabbed his finger across the table, “you leave Voltaire outta this.”

Marco smirked and leaned forward, his elbows resting on the table top. “I’m just saying, he’s not  _ as _ great as the others.”

“He’s amazing, shut up right now.”

“I wish I could.”

“His grave faces Rousseau and they hated each other—oh fuck, do you  _ like _ Rousseau?”

He giggled— _ god damn, a giggle, not even a laugh _ . “I like Montaigne.”

“That’s not what I asked.”

“Well, that’s all I’m saying.” He took a sip of water, all the while smirking past the glass at the leer Jean was shooting him.

They were able to slip back into more cordial conversation then—how they had done that, Jean would never understand—but he found himself returning to that hazy state of mind the more Marco talked. He was a skilled conversationalist who knew how to steer words and say what he wanted with elegance and a quick wit that had the Arian practically melting. How long had it been since they had been there? It was almost like there was no such thing as time, no worries, no government to fret about—

“Hey, Marco.”

—which reminded him of one last thing.

Jean searched his pockets for the pamphlet, first his pants and then his jacket. When he didn’t find it, he dug into the inside of the jacket and found what he needed. Marco was in mid-bite but still looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to speak and explain.

“About a week ago, there were some people in the department talking about this new scientific discovery thing,” he began as he slid the pamphlet across the table. Marco set down his fork and opened it, dark whiskey eyes scanning it quickly. “They, ah…they heard about a new remedy that helps brandings, specifically ones on the back. I know that yours has been bugging you lately, and I know that cream doesn’t do you any good—” His head shot up at the words, most likely in shock that he knew that. “Ymir told me. I asked her, though. I had already done the research anyway… B-but this isn’t me saying that you have to do this. I know why you keep it and why you don’t take proper care of it, but you don’t have to keep on doing that. At least, I don’t think you do. Because you have your cousin, and Mikasa, and a whole lot of others, but most importantly…you have me. And if you need anything, I’m here for you.”

Marco took a moment to respond, but when he did, his eyes were light with tears. It wasn’t the reaction he was expecting, but he would be lying if he said that it was the one that made him the most relieved that this had gone well. “Jean, you didn’t have to give me this.”

“Maybe not. But I thought you would like it. Or at least be interested in it. So we can, y’know, check it out and stuff.”

“Aww, Jean.” He clutched the pamphlet to his chest, almost mockingly. “How romantic.”

_ Ugh. He’s either getting really sappy or he’s making fun of me.  _ “Shut up, I only gave it to you because I care about you. A lot.”

“I know you do.” Marco beamed, and then there was the telltale sign of a foot scaling against his leg. Jean wasted no time in returning the favor, smiling shyly despite the confident strides of his feet. He made sure to lock the moment in his mind for later, when they wouldn’t be as fortunate to play footsie under the table and grin at each other like idiots. 

* * *

Eren had been successful in running into everyone else from their astrological group of revolutionaries except for the one he was trying to ask out. He and Armin had skirted around each other for a month or so, trying to find a common ground and jumping at every chance to do something when they found it—not necessarily romantically, but at least as friends. And while it had been doing well, as of late, it still had opposite results. And things could have gone better than they had: for starters, they weren’t in similar departments or even buildings, so that was a step back. Their signs weren’t very close to one another, and their schedules liked to jump around each other. It was impossible to find the Scorpio and simply ask him out. 

And now he had the chance. 

Of course, that chance was bumping into said Scorpio and spilling coffee over both of them. One was walking out of the library, one was walking in, and neither was paying much attention. Armin skittered back from the scalding liquid when it landed on him, hissing in discomfort that settled slightly when he looked up at who had knocked into him. Eren could barely get the words off his tongue.

“Ere—”

“Wanna go out?”

Ocean blue widened at the question, rushed and jumbled and going unheard. “What?”

Wrong timing. “Hi,” Eren settled for smiling, as tense as it was, and tossing his coffee cup in the nearby trash. “Sorry about the coffee.”

“It’s fine,” Armin sighed as he tried to brush off the stain, as if it would change anything. When there was no improvement, he left it alone and offered a faint smile. “This was mostly a sleep shirt, anyway.”

“Oh.” The comment, as lighthearted as it was in a slightly tense atmosphere, convinced him that laughing was at least suitable for the moment. “Yeah, hah, that’s good! The coffee wasn’t that good anyway—b-but it looks good on you!”

“Oh, thanks.” His gaze flitted down to the shirt again, but only momentarily. Eren could see that there was something else on his mind, another comment that he was focused on. “You, ah, said something about going out?”

“Did I? I did?” He froze up at the direct address to his blurted statement, but tried to pass it off with an awkward chortle. “I didn’t notice.”

Armin let out a soft sigh, shutting his eyes before he pulled Eren down to his level and kissed him. It was quick, and shocking, and so soft, and it was gone before he could revel in the moment. If he hadn’t seen the flush to his face, he would have suspected it was a hallucination.

“I can do Friday at six,” he stated firmly. “I know a good restaurant we can go to. I’ll pick you up at five-thirty.”

This was happening. This was a date. This was more than he ever suspected he would get. How had it come to this?

_ Answer, Eren, answer. _

“Y-yeah!” He nodded with a gulp. A more assured smile rose to his face, and his laugh was giddy with pure glee. “Friday, six. I’m down for that!”

“Good.” Armin returned the smile and shuffled anxiously on his feet before he scuffled past. He almost made it inside the library until Eren called him back, shrugging out of his jacket.

“Hey, Armin?”

The Scorpio turned back out of curiosity, eyebrows arched in a question. When Eren handed his jacket over, he almost refused, but something held him back from it. The brunet almost said something about it— _ almost, _ because the look of content was short-circuiting his brain—but left it alone, especially when Armin tugged his arms through the jacket and zipped it up.

“You can keep it for now,” Eren managed. “Since I ruined your shirt and all.”

The shorter smiled gratefully, soft and tender. He had seen the Scorpio work himself to passing out, dedicating his soul to an infamous topic that guaranteed no support and got eleven souls in return. He was constantly serious, and kept almost everything about him hidden from even his closest confidants. And yet despite all of it, he was a gentle soul who just wanted to be happy, spending his time in a way that brought him to that goal. “Thank you.”

_ Shit, he’s cute. _ “O-or you can keep it forever. Your choice, heh.”

Armin chuckled. “I’ll think about it.”

As they went their separate ways, though not permanently, Eren tried not to think about how his jacket would smell like books and warm cozy nights by the fire when (if) he ever got it back. And he tried to block out the fact that he had managed to awkwardly yet successfully ask out one of the most beautiful souls he had ever met. Instead, he thought about the date he had to prepare for now and the places they would go—the places they could go—and how much they would enjoy each other’s company.

And he was content. Everything was working out for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, there it is. There's a sequel planned for this, and then another, but idk if I'll add it or not. Maybe.
> 
> Thank you so much for the reading and the support. I really hope you enjoyed the story! :)


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